A vital spot is any soft, sensitive or breakable area on the body which is vulnerable to damage from an attack. There are 49 vital spots listed in the Taekwon-Do encyclopedia. The amount of force required will vary depending on the point attacked; the neck can be injured fairly easily, whereas breaking a rib will require considerable force. Vital spots can be further subdivided into major and minor. Injury to the former can lead to death or permanent disability, while damage to the latter is not life-threatening but will cause pain and temporary disability.

Each vital spot should be attacked with the appropriate attacking tool using the correct technique; see the section on Targets for detail on what goes where.