Winners honored for making contribution to Korean-American community


Former National Assembly Speaker Lee Man-seop, Philip Kim, a professor of physics at Columbia University and Colonel Daniel Yoo of U.S. Marine Corps received the Proud Korean Award from the Korean American Leadership Foundation in Los Angeles on Aug. 7.

Lee and Kim were selected for the award last month, and more recently Col. Daniel Yoo was added to the candidate list.

Yoo is well-known as the first Korean ever to be promoted to the admiral level in U.S military. 

The L.A.-based foundation, chaired by President Hong Myung-ki, presented the awards on Sunday with about 300 Koreans attending. The accolade is given in recognition of contributions to the enhancement of the international image of Korea.

Lee was cited for his career as a 79-year-old former lawmaker who had been elected eight times to the parliament and setting an example as a politician of integrity and principle.

Kim, 44, was recognized for his achievement in the research of graphene, a next-generation semiconductor.

Yoo, the first ethnic Korean to be promoted to the admiral level in U.S. military, said: “I felt so proud to be one of the 12 colonels in the U.S. Marine Corps in the recent promotion. And I am proud of being a military officer, father and husband.”

The Proud Korean Award was launched in 2006 to honor Koreans who have made great contributions to the Korean-American community or enhanced the image of Koreans abroad.

Last year, figure skating champion Kim Yu-na and Sammy Lee, the first Asian-American to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S. in diving, received the award.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)