Roy Kurban

Roy D. Kurban is a 9th degree American Taekwondo martial arts grandmaster and former Karate national competitor. He lives in Texas.

Biography

Roy Kurban began martial arts training in 1965, studying Karate under Allen Steen, Larry Caster, Skipper Mullins, Jerry Wiseman, Phillip Ola, and Dennis Dorris. He also trained in Isshin-ryū Karate with Ed Johnson. He earned his first degree black belt in 1968 in Dallas, Texas. As a member of the United States 8th Army in stationed in Seoul, Korea in 1970, he trained for a full year under Won Chik Park. While there, he took first place in the Yong San All-American TKD Championship in Seoul, Korea.

During the 1970s, he was a formidable competitor, winning 127 national and international competitions, including 80 first-place trophies and grand championships. He was ranked among the top seven U.S. fighters of the decade by Black Belt Magazine. From 1991 to 2006, Kurban served as Justice of the Peace in North Texas.

He is one of the few Americans to receive a Master Instructor certification from the World Taekwondo Federation. He remains active in the Texas martial arts community, conducting seminars and hosting competitions. .

Rank promotions Kurban earned the following black belts in Karate and Taekwondo: 1968 — 1st degree in Dallas, Texas 1970 — 2nd degree at the Jidokwan headquarters in Seoul, Korea 1972 — 3rd degree in Dallas, Texas from Allen Steen 1975 — 4th degree in Odessa, Texas from Hee Deok Park, through the Korea Moo Duk Kwan Association 1980 — 5th degree and Master Instructor Certificate in Fort Worth, Texas from the World Taekwondo Federation, under Grandmaster Won Chik Park 1986 — 6th degree from the World Taekwondo Federation and Ji Do Kwan Association, under Grandmaster Won Chik Park 1986 — 6th degree certification in Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo in Arlington, Texas under Larry Caster 1994 — 7th degree from Grandmaster Won Chik Park through the Ji Do Kwan and World Taekwondo Federation 2005 — 8th degree and title of "Grandmaster" by Grandmaster Won Chik Park, president of the United States Taekwondo Grandmaster Society (USTGS) 2014 — 9th degree from Grandmaster Won Chik Park, president of the United States Taekwondo Grandmaster Society (USTGS)

Awards Ambassador of Taekwondo Award, 2010, U.S. Taekwondo Grandmasters Society (USTGS)

Published works

, a memoir of Won Chik Park (introduction by Roy D. Kurban).