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American Korean Friendship Society Announces Recipients of 2019 New American Hero Award and Lifetime Achievement Award


American Korean Friendship Society • Jan 04, 2019

The American Korean Friendship Society (AKFS) has announced its 2019 New American Hero Award winner.

AKFS presents the award each year to an American of Korean ancestry who has made significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and has made his fellow Korean-Americans proud. The purpose of the award is to recognize the awardee’s patriotism for the United States, and to encourage other immigrants to follow in the awardee’s footsteps. The Award comes with a $10,000 donation to an appropriate cause or nonprofit.

This year’s honoree is the leader of the elite Marine Raiders, 2019 NAHA Award Recipient Major General Daniel Yoo, Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, or MARSOC. Major General Daniel Yoo, former acting commander of the First Marine Division, is the highest ranking Korean-American general officer in the United States military. “2019 NAHA Selection Committee did an extraordinary job to elect a great American patriot and leader as this year’s NAHA awardee” AKFS chairman Frank Blake praised the selection of Major General Yoo.

AKFS will also recognize Mr. Jay Eun, former Chairman of the Korean-American Association of Greater Atlanta, with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Jay Eun has served as a board member, volunteer and supporter of AKFS since 2002. Jay Eun, the founder and CEO of Golden Stella, is one of most respected leaders in the Korean-American community and is well known for his selfless service to the community. See  https://gasiantimes.com/gat-25-2/jay-eun.

The annual Award dinner will be held at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North at 6:00 p.m. on January 25, 2019. Thomas Hubbard, former diplomat and U. S. Ambassador to South Korea and the Philippines, will deliver the keynote speech.

As more and more Americans of Korean ancestry serve their community and the United States, Korean-Americans are viewed as an increasingly valuable ethnic group. Indeed, countless patriots in the Korean-American community have served their adopted nation in significant ways. The American Korean Friendship Society has recognized nine individuals in the past with its New American Hero Award.

•  Dr. Tom Kim  of Knoxville, Tennessee, who founded the Free Clinic for Working Poor and has been operating the Clinic for over two decades.

•  Lieutenant Colonel John Oh , medical doctor and U.S. Army general surgeon, for his heroic service for his country to include service in Afghanistan, where he performed emergency surgery removing an unexploded rocket propelled grenade (RPG) protruding from a wounded soldier’s body.

•  Dr. Samuel “Sammy” Lee , the first Asian-American to win an Olympic Gold Medal for the United States, and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals (1948 and 1952) in Olympic platform diving.

•  Jason Pak , West Point graduate, Captain of the U.S. Army (Ret.) and an elite Ranger, who was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan and serves as an inspiration for veterans and civilians alike.

•  James Suh  (March 2, 1977 – June 28, 2005), U.S. Navy SEAL, who was part of a dedicated Naval Special Warfare team fighting the Taliban and volunteered to go on a mission to rescue his fellow SEAL members who were trapped by insurgent fire. He was one of 16 troops killed when an MH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.

•  US. Army Colonel Young-Oak Kim  (January 29, 1919 – December 29, 2005), a highly decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War, a civic leader and humanitarian. He was a member of the U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and a combat leader in Italy and France during World War II.

•  Dr. Peter Meong Rhee , chief of acute care surgery and medical director of the Marcus Trauma Center, is an American surgeon, medical professor, and military veteran. During his 24 years in the U.S. Navy, Rhee served as a battlefield casualty physician in Afghanistan and Iraq.

•  Steve Stirling , a Korean-born American, is the president/CEO of the Medicine Assistant Program (MAP) International, a Christian global health organization that provides medicine, prevents disease, and promotes health in some of the world’s poorest countries. MAP International has provided more than $6 billion in medicine and health supplies to communities in need since its inception in 1954.

•  Byung J. “BJay” Pak  is the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. The district includes 46 counties in Georgia, including the cities of Atlanta, Gainesville, Rome, and Newnan. Mr. Pak had previously served as an Assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia and a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. BJay has been an extraordinary role model for Asian Americans.

By American Korean Friendship Society 24 Mar, 2024
American Korean Friendship Society recognize Americans of Korean heritage for their volunteer works and efforts for Korean American community's advancement with Lifetime Achievement Award each year. The recognition is to appreciate their selfless contributions and encourage other members of the community to also volunteer for the community. AKFS Board unanimously honors Dr. Edward Chang (장태환), professor, the University of California at Riverside for 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. AKFS recognize Dr. Chang's remarkable contributions and voicing tirelessly for the Korean American community in the past nearly three decades. The Award comes with $5,000 prize from Good Neighboring Foundation which to contribute to a nonprofit organization of the Awardee's choice. Dr. Chang is Professor of Ethnic Studies and founding Director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies at the University of California at Riverside. He earned his B.A. (1982) in Sociology and Ph.D. (1990) in Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and M.A. (1984) in Asian American Studies at UCLA. Dr. Chang is author of eight books, seven edited volumes, and numerous articles. Professor Chang has studied and been a voice of the Korean community for more than 25 years. He is a leading expert on the Los Angeles Riots, race relations between Korean and African American communities, and Korean Americans. Professor Chang lectured on the topics of Korean-African American Relations and the Los Angeles civil unrest and its impact on the Korean American community at many universities around the country.
By American Korean Friendship Society 24 Mar, 2024
AKFS presents the New American Hero Award (NAHA) each year to Americans of Korean ancestry who have made a significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and have made the immigrant community proud. Immigrants from Korea and Asian countries are well contributed ethnic group in America but seldom recognized as patriot as actual. Since 2005, has recognized thirteen (13) American patriots of Korean heritage with the NAHA. The Board of Directors of the American Korean Friendship Society (AKFS USKorea.org) honors former United States Ambassador Sung Yong Kim for 2024 New American Hero Award. The Award comes with $25,000 prize that will be presented to an American non-profit organization of the honoree's choice on March 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. AKFS recognize Ambassador Kim's remarkable contributions made to the United States as a senior diplomat. Ambassador Kim's patriotism and passionate services for the United States enhanced the status of all Americans immigrated from Korea and Asian countries particularly. Sung Yong Kim (김성용) is an American diplomat of Korean ancestry serve the United States as the US Special Representative for North Korea Policy since 2021, and previously from 2014 to 2016. He has also served as the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. In 2008, Kim was appointed by President George W. Bush as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-party talks. He later served in the Obama and Trump administrations as the Ambassador to South Korea from 2011 to 2014 and as the Ambassador to the Philippines from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, Kim was appointed by President Donald Trump as Ambassador to Indonesia. Ambassador Kim retired November 2023 and joined Hyundai Automobile Group as senior advisor.
By American Korean Friendship Society 24 Mar, 2024
AKFS honors Ambassador Sung Yong Kim with the 2024 New American Hero Award. AKFS also honors Dr. Edward T. Chang, Professor, University of California, Riverside, with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award.
By American Korean Friendship Society 24 Mar, 2024
성 김 전 주한미국대사, '이민자 영웅상' 수상 이민자 영웅상, 성 김 대사, 한미우호협회, 장태한 교수
By American Korean Friendship Society 30 Jan, 2024
The Board of Directors of the American Korean Friendship Society (AKFS) honors former United States Ambassador Sung Yong Kim for 2024 New American Hero Award. The Award comes with a $25,000 prize that will be presented to an American non-profit organization of the honoree's choice on March 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. AKFS presents the New American Hero Award (NAHA) each year to Americans of Korean ancestry who have made significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and have made the immigrant community proud. Immigrants from Korea and Asian countries are well contributed ethnic group in America but seldom recognized as patriots. Since 2005, has recognized thirteen (13) American patriots of Korean heritage with the NAHA. AKFS recognizes Ambassador Kim's remarkable contributions to the United States as a senior diplomat. Ambassador Kim's patriotism and passionate services for the United States enhanced the status of all Americans immigrated from Korea and Asian countries particularly. Sung Yong Kim (Korean: 김성용) is an American diplomat of Korean ancestry serving as the United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy since 2021, and previously from 2014 to 2016. He has also served as the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from January to June 2021. In 2008, Kim was appointed by President George W. Bush as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-party talks. He later served in the Obama and Trump administrations as the Ambassador to South Korea from 2011 to 2014 and as the Ambassador to the Philippines from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, Kim was appointed by President Donald Trump as Ambassador to Indonesia. Dr. Edward Chang honored for 2024 AKFS Lifetime Achievement AKFS Board unanimously honors Dr. Edward Chang, professor at the University of California, Riverside for 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. AKFS recognizes Dr. Chang's contributions and voicing tirelessly for the Korean American community in the past nearly three decades. Dr. Chang is Professor of Ethnic Studies and founding Director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies at the University of California at Riverside. He earned his B.A. (1982) in Sociology and Ph.D. (1990) in Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and M.A. (1984) in Asian American Studies at UCLA. Chang is the author of eight books, seven edited volumes, and numerous articles. Professor Chang has studied and been a voice of the Korean community for more than 25 years. He is a leading expert on the Los Angeles Riots, race relations between Korean and African American communities, and Korean Americans. Professor Chang lectured on the topics of Korean-African American Relations and the Los Angeles civil unrest and its impact on the Korean American community at many universities around the country. The award gala will be held on Friday 6:00 PM March 15, 2024 at Westin Atlanta North Hotel. 7 Concourse, Sandy Springs, Georgia. Tickets are $500.00 per person and encouraged to purchase as a table sponsorship. Table sponsorships for AKFS Award Gala are available at $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000 levels. All proceeds of table sponsorship and ticket sales will be used to pay for the event, prize for the awardees, strengthen the US-Korea Alliance and advocate American patriotism in the Asian American community. The American Korean Friendship Society, Inc. (AKFS) is a non-profit (81-1408283 IRS Code 501-C-3) and non-political civic organization founded in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Society celebrates and strengthens the unique relationship between the peoples of the Republic of Korea and the United States of America. The Society created the New American Hero Award to recognize Korean American patriots. The Society presents the New American Hero Award each year at the annual banquet. The award is to recognize Americans of Korean ancestry who have made significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and have made the immigrant community proud. original content: https://gasiantimes.com/2024/01/22/american-korean-friendship-society-honors-sung-yong-kim-for-2024-new-american-heroes-award-and-dr-edward-chang-for-2024-lifetime-achievement-award/?fbclid=IwAR3VeFB5kx5FqdNRHj6Z0YV29GTfjJ4fZ4vn0Oh42ubYnOpJsz53BwcUZtA
By American Korean Friendship Society 27 Jan, 2024
view original: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/218431
American Korean Friendship Society
By American Korean Friendship Society 24 Jan, 2023
2023 NEW AMERICAN HERO AWARD Date and Time: Saturday, March 3, 2023, 6 p.m. Cherokee Town Club, 155 West Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, Georgia (Free valet parking is available at the main entrance)Dress: Business Attire 2023 New American Hero Award Recipient Jim Yong Kim, MD, Ph.D. Dr. Kim is Vice Chairman and Partner at Global […]
By American Korean Friendship Society 23 Jan, 2023
Dr. Victor Cha Dr. Kim is Vice Chairman and Partner at Global Infrastructure Partners, a fund that invests in infrastructure projects across several sectors around the world. He is a compassionate physician, the 17th  President of Dartmouth College,  the 12th President of the World Bank Group, former Director of the World Health Organization’s HIV/AIDS department, […]
By American Korean Friendship Society 19 Jan, 2023
Dr. Victor Cha Chair in Asian Studies in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), and former Director for Asian Affairs in the White House’s National Security Council.
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