more in line with battlefield use. Kendo practitioners however, general focus on the perfect single strike, waiting patiently for an opening and the correct timing to land a decisive attack. In recent years, with frequent contact between kendo and kumdo stylists through cross-training and competition, this distinction has somewhat blurred, as individual practitioners of either kendo and kumdo have preferred styles of play. Engagements are conducted between two individuals at a time, each wearing body armor and using bamboo swords. The court is typically a square or rectangle 9 to 11 meters on a side - surrounded by an additional margin of 1.5 meters - and is presided over by a referee and two corner referees. During the engagement — a five-minute period with the possibility of a three-minute extension — competitors may accrue points by striking their opponent with a prescribed attack or thrust. Though infrequently studied in the classroom and sometimes seen in local competitions, the use of disarms followed by a throw or joint-lock is not allowed in international competition. Judgments regarding the nature or quality of an attack, as well as general comportment of the competitors, are signaled by the referees and require a majority agreement to make a determination. With minor stylistic differences (IE.Kumdo judges use blue and white flags instead of the red and white flags found in Kendo) these rules are followed by both Kumdo and Kendo organizations in both national and international play. Organizations The Dae Han Kum Sa Association (대한검사회), predecessor to the Dae Han Kumdohoe (The Korea Kumdo Association, 대한검도회) was organized on May 20, 1948. At that time, some 100 masters, including SUH Chong Hac, KIM Yong Dal, HO Ik Yong, CHUNG Tae Min, LEE Chung Ku, DO Ho Mun, KANG Nak-won, PAK Chong-kyu and KIM Yong-bae met on the grounds of the Changdok Palace and formed the Taehan Kumsa Association. In 1953, the Korean Kumdo Association was founded by Chong Hac SUH in cooperation with Kendo practitioners both in Korea and Japan. Later, Suh would relocate to Bettendorf, Iowa in the United States and establish the World Kumdo Association from that location. Korea Kumdo Association (KKA) - the organization for kumdo in Korea due to its size and its influence through their heavy promotion of the art in the media. The art promoted by them, Daehan Kumdo (大韓劍道), is virtually identical to kendo as practiced in Japan, with