Grand Master Haeng Ung Lee began his "WAY" in Taekwondo after first learning in the streets, and then in a professional school in his home town of Seoul, under the direction of Grand Masters Duk Sung Son, Jong Myong Hyun, and Un Kyu Eom. Back then (as well as today) there was a shortage of qualified people who wanted to teach the art. As a result, H. U. Lee, a young red belt at the time, began to teach after receiving his instructor's permission.

Later on, as a 3rd degree black belt, H. U. Lee joined the Korean Army to teach military intelligence people. He found himself on a cold island off the coast of North Korea. At this time, he made several covert combat missions.

After serving his country, he opened a professional school in Osan, near a U.S. Air Force Base and found success. He later opened branch schools. An American Airman at the base offered his assistance so that H. U. Lee could come to America to teach.

Once in the United States, Grand Master Lee first worked to build his first school in Omaha, Nebraska. Then he turned to his fellow senior Korean and American instructors to build an organization. In 1969, the American Taekwondo Association was founded. Currently the ATA family includes more than 130,000 men, women, and children training in Songahm Taekwondo at more than 800 schools and clubs across the United States.