students, he decided to form his own organization the Korea Hapkido Association () with Kim Woo-joong (), president of Daewoo Corporation, as the new association's first head. Later in 1973, seeking to consolidate three of the larger hapkido organizations that had grown over the years, Ji merged his organization with the Korean Hapkido Association, led by his contemporary Kim Moo-hong, and the Korea Hapki Association, headed by one of his former senior students, Myung Jae-nam, to form the large and influential Republic of Korea Hapkido Association (Daehan Min Kuk Hapkido Hyub Hwe; ). Politics Ji Han-jae's political career began to rise quickly when he started teaching hapkido to the president's bodyguards at the Blue House. In 1979, however, President Park Chung-hee was assassinated. Most of those close to Park resigned including his presidential bodyguards and their martial arts instructors, including Ji. In the ensuing struggle for power, many of those who were in positions of power under Park found themselves out of work, power or influence. In many cases, they were singled out as targets for legal action, whether justified or not. In one case, wealthy businessmen made financial contributions to martial arts organizations, as was the norm at the time, but several of the contributions were not properly accounted for. Ji and his organization were charged with tax fraud. Though he was generally viewed as not guilty, he was given a prison term of one year. The judge in the case later explained that it was really beyond his control, and that if Ji did not go to jail on this minor charge, he would have been charged with other offenses until he was sent to prison for another charge, perhaps something more serious. Ji's philosophical view on the matter was that it was worthwhile to experience a year in prison and learn about a side of life few experience. He added that he was able to further develop the spiritual side of his sinmoo (higher mind) hapkido concept while meditating in prison. Oh Se-lim, one of the earliest students of the art under Ji, was elected the new president of the Republic of Korea Hapkido Association. He re-christened the organization the "Daehan Hapkido Hyub Hwe ()", a name used in one of hapkido's former organizations over which Ji presided and Oh had been a founding member. The Korea Hapkido Federation (KHF) became the preferred rendering in English. The