Taekwondo is strictly a weaponless martial art. Therefore, whatever weapon your instructor chooses to use is up to him or her.
And yes, bokken and shinai are Japanese. In Korean, the shinai would be called the "jukdo". The bokken would be called "mokkum". And the katana would be called many things, depending on the era that the sword was made, but generically would be called the "hwando". If it was longer than the katana, it would be ceremonially called the "yedo" or "jang-goem"; if it was shorter it would be generically called "hwando".
But while these weapons are not found in any Taekwondo curriculum, it is not hard to find a Korean wanting to also teach Korean warfare involving swordsmanship. The trick, here, is finding proper and historically accurate information. Much history has been obliterated by the Koreans, and between what was found or preserved in Korea, Japanese history, and Chinese history, a partial picture of Korean swordsmanship history can be painted with probable accuracy. But Korean nationalism has clouded this accuracy, and often you can find someone spouting this or that without any way to back it up.
As to martial arts in general, each type of weapon has its purpose: are you studying for sport (like kendo/kumdo - then you'd be using a jukdo); if you were studying Geom-bup, then you'd be using a mokkum or hwando. If you were studying for historical purposes, you'd be using any of kyok-goem, yedo, jang-goem, or hwando.
If you were studying for self-defense, you wouldn't really be using any of them, since they are not used in modern day. However, their use can be extended to that which IS found in modern day - like 2x2 sticks, clubs, and the like. And in this case, I think the jukdo (shinai) would be best to start out with, and then once hand and foot conditioning were more refined, the student should move over to the mokkum (bokken).
EDIT: oops... much Korean history was obliterated by the *Japanese* (not the Koreans...)
A shinai and bokken is Japanese martial arts. Both have their own techniques. Both can be used to do some serious damage if someone knows how to use them correctly.
Taek Won Do is Korean. What kind of techniques would you use? There is more technique to bokken and shinai than just swinging it like a baseball bat. This idea that you can mix and match anything that comes your way is incorrect and does not work.
I can't speak to TKD but I prefer using the bokken for the times we use a weapon in Uechi Ryu. We use both and IMHO it's a personal preference. But you really need to speak to your instructor.
As for bokken, mine is oak and can be a bit painful (or really painful for those who aren't conditioned) when you're hit full force. Being hit with one reminds you to do techniques right, and that had it been a real bladed weapon you'd be seriously injured or killed.
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Which one is more suitable in Taekwondo or Martial arts and why?
