The martial art of Gongkwon Yusul was founded in the mid-nineties between 1996 and 1998 by Master Kang Jun. Master Kang Jun has trained extensively in many martial arts. He started his training at the age of five, training a huge array of martial arts. He even studied Taekwondo as a degree program at University. The most predominant influences to be seen in Gongwon Yusul are Hapkido, Hako-Ryu Jujutsu, Judo with a lot of groundwork, and Thai Boxing. In Gongkwon Yusul, they also practise some exercises similar to Hard Qigong to strengthen the knuckles and other parts of the body. This they practise with leather puching boards with springs inside and Okinawan Karate like Makiwara Boards Unlike many schools of Hapkido defences are practised to flowing and changing attacks rather than simple and static arm or lapel grabs. Just as in Hapkido, the joint locks and submissions seem to be practised until the point of pain and near-breakage. The throws practised are also practised whilst moving, in such a way that they could be readily applied in MMA. The groundword is extremely smooth and a lot of the hapkido standing locks and submissions have been re-adapted to the ground. Due to its combination of fighting sports with traditional martial arts, it has been extremely successful in Korea, though there are as yet only three places where it is trained outside Korea (Brazil, Melbourne and Launceston, Australia).

1. Striking with hands and feet (a lot of the punching is more similar to Western boxing than many Asian martial arts, feet are a mixture between Hapkido, Taekwondo and Thai Boxing - therefore presumable very dangerous)
2. Standing Submissions and Joint-Locks
3. Tackles
4. Throws
5. Groundwork (groundwork is trained very comprehensively and thoroughly)