Hapkido is the martial art of Grandmaster Choi, Yong Sul (1904-1986). Mr. Choi was born in Korea, but was abducted and brought to Japan as a young boy. Eventually, he was adopted into the household of Takeda, Sokaku, head of Daito-Ryu Aikijutsu. Mr. Choi lived and studied with Takeda, Sokaku until Sokaku’s death. At the end of World War II, Mr. Choi returned to his native Korea and supported himself and his family by teaching a "new" martial art, which was based on the Daito-Ryu Aikijutsu he had learned in Japan. This new art was Hapkido. During his return to Korea Grandmaster Choi’s suitcase,  which contained his Menkyo Kaiden, was lost. The Menkyo Kaiden is the certificate Choi, Yong Sul received from Sokaku Takeda which indicated that the entire  Martial Art had been passed on to him. Many Japanese refuse to acknowledge Grandmaster Choi as a student of Sokaku Takeda. It is said that Sokaku Takeda kept enrollment books of all his students, but it is known that many of these books were burned in a fire. To acknowledge Mr. Choi would undermine the purely Japanese character of Daito-Ryu. Many Japanese Daito Ryu Masters  minimize Mr. Choi's role, stating only that Mr. Choi attended a seminar with Grandmaster Takeda. Many Daito Ryu Masters have admitted that Sokaku Takeda did have a group of Korean children that he trained at a mountain camp, which, according to Master Rim, is exactly where Mr. Choi trained. On the other hand, many Korean Hapkido Masters claim that Ji Han Jae is the founder of Hapkido. This is completely untrue. He did mix Tae Kwon Do with what he learned from Mr. Choi and now calls this mixture Sin Moo Hapkido. These allegations by Japanese as well as some Koreans is designed to diminish Grandmaster Choi ‘s position as the founder of Hapkido and where he learned his skill.

The Japanese then support their contention that Mr. Choi only attended the 10 day seminars that Sokaku Takeda was known for giving to some of his closest students. This claim is supported by their claim that no high motions appear in the major Hapkido schools.

These claims by both Koreans and Japanese  has obscured Mr. Choi's position as Takeda, Sokaku's chief instructor, and neglects the enormous contribution of Mr. Choi to soft martial arts. Mr. Choi's teaching preserved the Daito-Ryu system of Takeda, Sokaku. Master Rim continues the teaching traditions of Grandmaster Choi. Serious students of soft martial arts will be pleased to discover the wealth of soft techniques still being taught in traditional Hapkido schools.

Grandmaster Choi, Yong Sul visited the United States in June of 1982 with the purpose of unifying Hapkido. Mr. Choi knew his life was near its end. His greatest wish was that all Hapkido would be united. He came to New York to name his successor and thereby ensure the continuity of the art he had brought to Korea so many years before. Mr. Rim attended the meeting which was to address the need for a successor, held at a Korean resturant, Yong Bin Kwon. Unfortunately, Mr. Choi named a succsessor who did not share his vision. Hapkido was never united.

After the meeting in New York, Mr. Choi visited in Maryland and worked out in the dojang with Mr. Rim and his students. Mr. Choi was pleased to see his traditional method of instruction preserved and he posed with the school for a photograph. Mr. Choi presented Mr. Rim with a handwritten personnal certificate of endorsement attesting that Master Rim's teachings in Hapkido confrom to what he taught, and his personal chop, the chop of the original Hapkido organization