Taekwondo is inextricably linked with the history of Korea. Already in the 1st century BC the inhabitants of Korea created a simple fighting formula, originally called taekkyeon. This was the prototype of modern taekwondo. The creator of the form of taekwondo we know today was General Choi Hong-hi. He began learning taekkyeon at the age of 12, and as an adult began training Japanese karate. During the Second World War he was imprisoned where he trained his physical fitness while creating a unique fighting style. In 1954, he used elements of the two martial arts he had learned and combined them to create Taekwondo.