View source for Kyeok Sul Do

{{Short description|North Korean martial art}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox Martial art
| logo               =
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| name               = Kyeok Sul Do<br />격술도
| aka                = Kyeok Sul, Gjogsul, Kyŏksul, Gyuksul
| focus           = Striking, Throwing
| formation      = 1926
| country            = [[North Korea]]
| creator            = No single creator
| parenthood      = [[Taekkyeon]], [[Subak]], [[Gwonbeop|Kwon Bop]] [[Kong Soo Do]] ([[Chang Moo Kwan|YMCA Kwon Bop Bu]]), [[Bogutsuki Karate]], [[Hideo Nakamura (martial artist)#Karate-do Kendokai|Kendokan Karate]], [[Taekwondo]] ([[International Taekwon-Do Federation|ITF-Style]])
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| olympic      = No
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}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| hangul = 격술도
| hanja  = 撃術道
| mr     = Kyŏk sul to
| rr     = Gyeok sul do
|}}

[[File:Panmunjeom inside barack.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kyeok Sul Do is generally associated with North Korean military personnel.]]

'''Kyeok Sul Do''' (Hangul: 격술도), also often [[romanized]] as '''Gjogsul''',<ref name="GJOGSUL">{{cite web |url=http://www.saco-defense.de/gjogsul/gjogsul_eng.html |title=Geschichte Gjogsul |website=www.saco-defense.de |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924173122/http://www.saco-defense.de/gjogsul/gjogsul_eng.html |archive-date=24 September 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> is a [[martial art]] created in [[North Korea|Democratic People's Republic of Korea (i.e. North Korea)]] that is practised primarily in the [[Korean People's Army]] and its intelligence agencies.<ref name="GJOGSUL"/>

Kyeok Sul Do was also taught to the armies of [[Eastern European]] states that were part of the former [[Warsaw Pact]].<ref name="GJOGSUL"/>

==History==
Etymologically, it is a combination of the roots '''kyeok'''—"strike/blow", '''sul'''—"art", then '''do'''—"way". The martial art of Kyeoksuldo originated from [[taekkyon]] and the older [[Subak]] martial system that emerged in 420. The martial art proper was developed around 1926, within the resistance group led by [[Kim Il-Sung]] to fight against the Japanese.<ref name="GJOGSUL"/>

During the [[Korean War]], Kyeok Sul Do was taught to communist partisans in order to fight off against the more muscular, larger [[White people|caucasian]] American and European soldiers.  Further development of Kyeok Sul Do took place with the start of the [[korean conflict|conflict with South Korea]]. During the Cold War, North Korea enlisted foreign martial artists to train their troops. General [[Choi Hong Hi]], one of the founding fathers of [[Taekwondo]], was one of such people, when he brought Taekwondo to North Korea in 1979.<ref name="The Difficult Dialogue 2009">The Difficult Dialogue: Communism, Nationalism, and Political Propaganda in North Korean Sport, Jung Woo Lee and Alan Bairner, Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 2009, 33: 390</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/aug/09/guardianobituaries.northkorea|title = Obituary: General Choi Hong-hi|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = 9 August 2002|access-date = 30 October 2020|archive-date = 8 November 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201108053836/https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/aug/09/guardianobituaries.northkorea|url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://taekwondotimes.com/news/2019/06/the-man-the-myth-the-legend-general-choi-hong-hi-father-of-taekwon-do/|title = The Man, the Myth, the Legend: General Choi Hong Hi, Father of TaeKwon-Do|date = 25 June 2019|access-date = 30 October 2020|archive-date = 6 November 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201106110648/https://taekwondotimes.com/news/2019/06/the-man-the-myth-the-legend-general-choi-hong-hi-father-of-taekwon-do/|url-status = live}}</ref>

According to defector [[An Myeong-jin]], the trainees hit each other's bodies with thick ropes and exercised striking by hitting on [[concrete]] and/or a [[haystack]], with reportedly some trainees dying from these exercises.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://infoseek_rip.g.ribbon.to/chorea.hp.infoseek.co.jp/dprk/gsd/gsdrd/recon.html |title=総参謀部偵察局所属偵察部隊 |access-date=2020-10-30 |archive-date=2020-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102134138/http://infoseek_rip.g.ribbon.to/chorea.hp.infoseek.co.jp/dprk/gsd/gsdrd/recon.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>http://japan.dailynk.com/japanese/read.php?cataId=nk03100&num=428 {{Dead link|date=March 2022}}</ref>

In the 1980s, there was a North Korean Movie called  "[[Order No. 027]]" that lead to influx of young North Koreans becoming interested in Kyeok Sul Do.{{efn|name="Order-027"|The movie is about North Korean special forces that infiltrate South Korea and carry out intelligence activities. The movie features Kyeok Sul Do and its throwing techniques used by the protagonists. The movie was very impactful, as there was limited entertainment in North Korea.}}

There are martial arts competitions in North Korea built around Kyeok Sul Do. According to historical records referred by Mookas martial arts magazine, "the earlier contests were about the same as boxing, but in 1987's 7th contest, it evolved to the level of [[kickboxing]]."<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DnvIcdeXsAAQ2Ae.jpg |title=Boxing-like origin of Gyuksul |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-date=2020-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112010903/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DnvIcdeXsAAQ2Ae.jpg |url-status=dead }}{{better source needed|date=October 2021}}</ref>

Among North Korea, operatives called "guides" who escort operatives during landing operations, and 24 reconnaissance battalions belonging to the [[Reconnaissance General Bureau]]. These sorts of operatives are believed to be involved in [[fushin-sen]] cases in Japan.<ref>Osamu Eya, "North Korea's Infiltration Work Against Japan" --What is the purpose of the suspicious ship?, Takarajimasha, 2002 {{ISBN|4796628975}}</ref>

[[Korean Central Television]] often broadcasts North Korean soldiers performing Kyeok Sul Do techniques. In addition, North Korean internet sites also distribute videos of demonstrations on [[YouTube]] and other media as part of their [[propaganda]] efforts.

There are also cases where the militaries of the former [[Warsaw Pact]] countries were introduced and taught Kyeok Sul Do. It was adopted by the [[National People's Army]] of the [[East Germany|German Democratic Republic (East Germany)]] in 1988, with instructors from the [[Korean People's Army]] brought to the country.{{sfn|Pelny|2008|pp=20-22}} This began when Colonel-General [[Horst Stechbarth]] took a three-week course in the DPRK after negotiations with the Korean People's Army, during which close National People's Army (or NVA) wrestling instructors were trained in Kyeok Sul Do.

Earlier, the martial art was already successfully introduced in the [[Polish People's Republic]]. At the same time, the NVA instructors tuned the Kyeok Sul Do and introduced the system as a whole, primarily for the [[airborne forces]] like [[Luftsturmregiment 40]].<ref name="GJOGSUL"/>{{sfn|Pelny|2008|pp=20-22}} For close quarters training, the Die Nahkampfweste Modell 1985 ({{langx|en|Melee Vest Model 1985}}) was used for protection.{{sfn|Pelny|2008|pp=26}}

==Technique==
The basic technique is to strike with limbs, and it is said to be a martial art similar to [[Karate]] and [[taekwondo]]. Gyeoksul's punch uses horizontal fist swing punch without fist rotation. Gyeoksul doesn't have boxing exclusive motions such as uppercut or hook. The style utilizes melee weapons, including knives and blunt weapons.

No specific details on the origins has been revealed,{{efn|name="StyleDetails"|Namely due to [[Foreign relations of North Korea|foreign relations]] and [[isolationist]] policies of its country of origin, North Korea.}} but it is said to be based on the following martial arts and fighting systems:

* [[Subak]]—Kyeok Sul Do was originally derived from Korean martial art [[Subak]]. In the new Kyeoksul rules & techniques, Gyuksul also resembles Sibak (Korean street fighting games) & [[Gwonbeop]] ([[Muyedobotongji]]).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/aGQ9L8O.png |title=Gyuksul picture 1 |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-date=2022-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414024349/https://i.imgur.com/aGQ9L8O.png |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/z7RaPQ2.png |title=Gyuksul picture 2 |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-date=2022-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414112108/https://i.imgur.com/z7RaPQ2.png |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/Bs0T0Ij.png |title=Gyuksul picture 3 |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-date=2023-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404011938/https://i.imgur.com/Bs0T0Ij.png |url-status=live }}</ref> Those 3 pictures are Gyuksul moves. There are similar moves in Korean Muyedobotongji Gwonbeop, except that Gwonbub's wild swing with shoulder-push uses vertical fist while Gyuksul uses horizontal fist. Those 3 pictures resemble these two 300 years old Korean Gwonbeop pictures.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DtgeqsmWwAE9by-.jpg |title=300 years old Muyedobotongji Gwonbeop pictures resembling Gyuksul |access-date=2021-01-26 |archive-date=2020-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112021053/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DtgeqsmWwAE9by-.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Gwonbeop|Kwon Bop]] [[Kong Soo Do]] ([[Chang Moo Kwan|YMCA Kwon Bop Bu]]){{efn|name="YMCA"|It would be erroneous to refer the style promoted by Yoon Byung-in as [[Taekwondo]]. Yoon Byung-in moved to North Korea in 1950, way before the unification process of the kwans as [[Korea Taekwondo Association]] took place circa 1959. When the unification process began, Lee Nam Suk was head of the kwan. Lee Nam Suk also changed the kwan's name to [[Chang Moo Kwan]] after Yoon Byung-in left. Therefore Yoon Byung-in had no direct part in early formation of Taekwondo and cannot be recognized as a practitioner, teacher nor a promoter of such.}}—[[Yoon Byung-in]] was forcibly moved to North Korea in August 1950 by his older brother, Yoon Byung-du, a captain in the North Korean Army. In 1966 and 1967, he taught martial arts to North Korean special forces of the [[Moranbong]]. In late 1967, Master Yoon completed his assignment and returned to his supervisor position at a concrete factory in [[Chongjin]], where he worked until his death from lung cancer in April 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Kim|first1=Soo|last2=McLain|first2=Robert|date=3 May 2006|title=Grandmaster Yoon Byung-In|url=http://kimsookarate.com/intro/yoon/Byung_In_YoonrevMay3.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206042920/http://kimsookarate.com/intro/yoon/Byung_In_YoonrevMay3.pdf|archive-date=6 February 2012|access-date=24 August 2020|website=Kim Soo Karate}}</ref>
* [[Bōgutsuki Karate]] ([[Kanbukan]])—student of the Kanbukan dojo learnt the art and went to North Korea to teach it. Kyeok Sul Do sparring employs similar [[Protective gear in sports|protective gear]] that early Bogu Karate employed.{{efn|name="Bogu"|As seen in various video evidence. Such as DDR NVA's training footage.}}
* [[Hideo Nakamura (martial artist)#Karate-do Kendokai|Kendokan Karate]]—the founder of the style is Hideo Nakamura, birthname Kang Chang-Soo and born in [[Pyongyang]]. He has taught Karate at [[Chongryon]] and it may have carried to North Korea.
* [[Taekwondo]], [[International Taekwon-Do Federation|ITF-style]]—[[Choi Hong Hi]], the South Korean general that spearheaded the unification of the [[kwan (martial arts)|Kwans]], creating [[Taekwondo]], went into exile in conflict with President [[Park Chung-hee]] when attempting to bring the art to North Korea in 1972. Eventually, Choi managed to bring Taekwondo to North Korea in 1979.<ref name="The Difficult Dialogue 2009"/> General Choi also chose the North Korean [[Chang Ung]] to head the [[International Taekwon-Do Federation|ITF]] from 2002 to 2015.

==Organization==
The '''World Kyeoksuldo Federation (세계 실전 격술 도 총본관)''' consists of two civilian (non-paramilitary) [[dojang]]s in [[South Korea]]. One is in [[Incheon]], the other is in [[Cheonan]]. Unlike the rest of the commercialized Kyeok Sul Do schools, the emphasis in these schools is on increasing physical strength and body endurance. Modern uniforms are military camouflage with Kyeok sul do patches or black uniforms.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{cite book|last=Pelny|first=Frank|title=Gjogsul. Militärischer Nahkampf in der NVA|date=2008|publisher= Enforcer Pülz|isbn=978-3939700012|language=German}}

{{Korean martial arts}}
{{Martial arts}}

[[Category:Korean martial arts]]
[[Category:Korean People's Army]]
[[Category:Martial arts in North Korea]]