Noel Garth King made history on October 18, 2013. He was the first person from the island of Jamaica to be inducted into the Official Taekwondo Hall of Fame, establishing one of the first Taekwondo schools in Jamaica he could be considered the “Father of Taekwondo in Jamaica.” He began his study at Howard University in 1967. He started taking Taekwondo as a Physical Education course. He met Professor and Master Dong Ja Yang. He said Grand Master Dong Ja Yang was an unusual teacher in that he believed an educator had not only the responsibility to educate in his avocation but have the responsibility to guide and teach in a morally correct way. In recounting his instructor’s martial arts history Garth said Grand Master Dong Ja Yang had come up in South Korea through the martial arts schools and had won a medal in judo in the Olympics.

Master King who was age 18 when he met Grand Master Dong Ja Yang started his train with his new-found love in Taekwondo. In less than one year he and several others achieved 1st degree black belt led by his friend John L. Holloway. Over the next 7 years in Washington D.C.. He won several tournaments.

In 1974 he returned to Jamaica and established the National Taekwondo Institute in Jamaica, The National Taekwondo Institute, also known then as “Noel King’s Taekwondo School of Champions”. He taught, and many students with passion and held and participated in tournaments. At the time of his retirement in 1986. He was responsible for establishing numerous branches in Jamaica with more than 30 black belts.

Master King was a lover of Badminton. He was a veteran former National player who represented Jamaica for several years and dominated the sport in the 80s. Master Noel King passed away on March 23, 2023. He was 74 at the time of his passing.