By David Cho
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 10, 2001; Page B01
Reprinted by permission

"I'm taking this plane, or I'm going to cut you," Christopher Kemp snarls.

The 37-year-old office mover from Alexandria doesn't appear too menacing, with just a plastic knife in his hand. In a flash, he is gang-tackled by five people.

"Tsaai!" they cry in unison as they pin him to the mat with various twisting movements.

Their instructor, In Ki Kim, is not pleased, despite the quickness of their response. "Aiya," he sighs in disgust. "Look. Look at the knife."

It is still clutched in the assailant's hand.

Kim jumps into the pile and twists Kemp's wrist with a forceful jolt. The plastic knife drops at once as Kemp -- his legs and torso contorted -- winces on the floor. "See, this is the way," Kim tells his nodding students as he twists his victim's body yet again.