[1] With Choi Hong-hi, he co-founded the "Oh Do Kwan" and led the twelve original masters of taekwondo of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association (KTA).
Nam was pivotal in the development of taekwondo, and was called Choi's "right hand man" in the latter's official biography.
[9] In 1954, at the rank of 2nd dan, Nam participated in a military demonstration of martial arts for the president of South Korea, Syngman Rhee, and broke 13 roof tiles with a downward punch; Rhee was reportedly so impressed that he subsequently ordered all Korean military personnel to undergo training in martial arts.
[1] Nam moved to the Chicago area in 1972, opened a dojang in 1973, and then later lived in Los Angeles.
[13] After being admitted to hospital due to pneumonia, Nam died on 7 November 2013 in Garden Grove, California, USA.