Philosophy

Different styles of taekwondo adopt different philosophical underpinnings. Many of these underpinnings however refer back of the Five Commandments of the Hwarang as a historical referent. For example, Choi Hong Hi expressed his philosophical basis for taekwondo as the Five Tenets of Taekwondo:^[31]

• Ye-Ui, courtesy
• Yom-Chi, integrity
• In-Nae, perseverance, patience
• Guk-Gi, self-discipline
• Beakjul-bool-gul, invincibility of spirit

These tenets are further articulated in a taekwondo oath, also authored by Choi:

• I undertake to comply with the principles of Taekwondo
• I undertake to respect my coaches and all superiors
• I undertake to abuse Taekwondo never
• I pledge to stand up for freedom and justice
• I undertake to cooperate in the creation of a more peaceful world

Modern ITF organizations have continued to update and expand upon this philosophy.^[32][33]
The World Taekwondo Federation also refers to the commandments of the Hwarang in the articulation of its taekwondo philosophy.^[34] Like the ITF philosophy, it centers on the development of a peaceful society as one of the overarching goals for the practice of taekwondo. The WTF's stated philosophy is that this goal can be furthered by adoption of the Hwarang spirit, by behaving rationally ("education in accordance with the reason of heaven"), and by recognition of the philosophies embodied in the taegeuk (the yin and the yang, i.e., "the unity of opposites") and the sam taegeuk (understanding change in the world as the interactions of the heavens, the Earth, and Man). The philosophical position articulated by the Kukkiwon is likewise based on the Hwarang tradition.^[35]