Grand Master Yun Sam Ko was born on June, 10th 1941 in South Korea on the island of Cheju. It was there that his parents raised him, his brother, and three sisters.

In 1955, at the age of 14, Grand Master Ko took his first lesson in the art of Tae Kwon-Do in an outside school known as Chang Moo Kwan.  It was from that moment forward that Grand Master Ko committed himself fully to the martial arts, and continued training daily, no matter the weather conditions, along side his peers and seniors until the day he graduated high school.

After high school, Grand Master Ko was off to the Navy where he served for three years; and in that time, was responsible for training the Marine Corp in the art of Tae Kwon-Do. He then studied one year in Japan and graduated in 1967. While in Japan, he trained at the Yo-Yo-Ki Karate School in Tokyo for one year. While in college, Grand Master Ko trained under Dr. Yoon, the Jido Kwan president, and was the TKD Club Instructor as well as the head instructor at Yong San Jido Kwan School, teaching TKD before and after classes.

After the Navy, Grand Master Ko attended college at Konkuk University studying animal husbandry for 3 yrs under Dr. Kye Byoung Yoon. He then studied one year in Japan and graduated in 1967. While in Japan, he trained at the Yo-Yo-Ki Karate School in Tokyo for one year.

While in college, Grand Master Ko trained under Dr. Yoon, the Jido Kwan president, and was the TKD Club Instructor as well as the head instructor at Yong San Jido Kwan School, teaching TKD before and after classes.

By 1967, Grand Master Ko had his own Branch School, Shin Chon Jido Kwan, and trained several national champions before leaving Korea to start a new life in America.

Searching for a better opportunity for his wife and family of three, Grand Master Ko immigrated to the United States in 1976. After teaching Tae Kwon-Do at Princeton Community College in Illinois for one semester, he moved his family to Indiana and opened a school in Columbus, Indiana. Starting out with a student base of 25 to 30 students, Grand Master Ko worked day and night building a life for his family by teaching the art that won him over as a young boy, hoping he too could impact the lives of others through the teaching of Tae Kwon-Do.

Through his years of training hard, Grand Master Ko was able to overcome the challenges and long hours of dedication required in starting a new school. His dedication to teaching the art of Tae Kwon-Do still continues.

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