On Friday, January 13, Maryland is one of several states and the federal government to celebrate Korean American Day. It honors the Korean American community’s contributions in the United States and commemorates the arrival of the first Korean immigrants on January 13, 1903. In 2005, the United Sates Congress passed resolutions supporting the goals and aspirations of Korean American Day.
I feel real kinship with Korean Americans. My father fought in the Korean War 1951-1952 and came to love Korean people and culture. He was thanked by conferral of the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. As the son of my father, I have felt a partnership with Korea. I appreciate Korean-American’s contributions to our community.
http://www.keia.org/page/history-korean-american-day
Maryland road to be named ‘Korean Way’
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (Yonhap) — A section of a Maryland road will be named “Korean Way” in recognition of Koreans’ contribution to economic development and cultural diversity in the U.S. state, the office of Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday.
The section of Maryland’s U.S. Route 40 stretches about 1 kilometer and passes through the Ellicot City, one of the most densely Korean populated towns in the state with a lot of Korean-run shops and restaurants. About 7 percent of the town’s 66,000 population are Korean.
Two “Korean Way” road signs will be set up on Dec. 20, the office said.
The designation was made possible thanks to strong support from the governor. Hogan, who is married to Korean-American artist Yumi Hogan and calls himself a “hanguk sawi,” which means a “son-in-law of South Korea,” has been very supportive of Korean Americans in his state.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2016/12/14/52/0301000000AEN20161214000400315F.html
Over 1.7 Million Korean Americans Live in the United States, Up 41% Since 2000
Koreans make up 9% of the Asian American population. Nearly 62% of Korean Americans are foreign born. Koreans are the fifth largest Asian American community after Chinese, Indians, Filipinos, and Vietnamese. Many Koreans attain US citizenship, ranking twelfth in share of all US naturalizations in 2012 and fifth among Asians.
http://www.asiamattersforamerica.org/southkorea/data/koreanamericanpopulation
http://www.ipst.umd.edu/researchandfaculty/seo.php
Some Notable Maryland Korean-Americans
Yumi Hogan, First Lady of Maryland
Maryland’s First Lady Yumi Hogan is the first Korean-American First Lady in the United States. Mrs. Hogan is a first-generation Korean-American, an accomplished artist, and an adjunct professor at Maryland Institute College of Art.
Mrs. Hogan grew up on a farm in the South Korean countryside and immigrated to the United States over 20 years ago. Her artwork, created on traditional Hanji paper with Sumi ink and mixed media, has been featured in art shows and museums around Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Seoul, Korea. As First Lady, Mrs. Hogan has made it a priority to instill a love of art in Marylanders.
http://governor.maryland.gov/firstlady/
http://www.yumihogan.com/2012/mziefj380pktxhvpb778ligyspl198
David Kim, Founder & Vice Chairman, C2 Education
While studying Economics at Harvard University, David became interested in the relationship between economics and education, a passion which inspired him to begin a tutoring service for local students. What began as a small tutoring service run out of a Harvard dorm room has grown into the C2 Education of today, with more than 180 centers nationwide.
In the years since C2 Education was founded, David has continued to contribute to his community by serving on the board of the Washington Youth Foundation and as a commissioner on the Montgomery County Commission on Children and Youth. His works have earned him recognition in such publications as Forbes Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Inc Magazine. Most recently, David has been touring the country talking to major media outlets about the new SAT.
Dr. Eun-Suk Seo, Professor of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park
Dr. Eun-Suk Seo received her Ph.D. in 1991 from Louisiana State University, including two years as a visiting graduate student at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
She has been leading cosmic ray investigations, especially as Principal Investigator of the Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass (CREAM) balloon-borne experiment, and CREAM for the International Space Station (ISS-CREAM), the highest energy frontier of cosmic ray direct measurements. Her research includes searches for exotic matter, such as antimatter and dark matter, and direct measurements of galactic cosmic rays to investigate their origin, acceleration, and propagation (more).
Dr. Seo is a 2017 Korean American Day Honoree by the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) in Washington, DC.
http://www.keia.org/page/media
HCC and Howard County agree to educational, cultural exchange with Naju City, Republic of Korea
by Howard Community College, July 12, 2016
Howard County Government, Howard Community College and Naju City of the Republic of Korea agreed to a cultural and educational exchange during a ceremony held July 12 at the college.
County Executive Allan H. Kittleman, Howard Community College President Kate Hetherington and officials from the Korean city government pledged to build relationships through “mutually beneficial activity, including educational exchanges, cultural exchanges, governmental collaboration and other related activities of mutual interest,” according to one of the memorandums of understanding signed, which is for a two-year period.
“Howard County is home to a large and vibrant Korean-American population,” Kittleman said. “I value this opportunity to create an exchange program with Naju City not only because it makes sense from an educational and economic standpoint, but also because it is consistent with our commitment to celebrating diversity.”
Featured Image at Beginning of Post
http://www.xpatnation.co/why-america-is-heaven-on-earth-for-koreans/
HoCoMDcc 