[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 94 (Friday, July 9, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1337]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO YEON HWAN PARK

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, July 9, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the educational and 
athletic achievements of Master Yeon Hwan Park.
  Master Park is an 8th dan (degree) black belt, and coach of the USA 
Olympic National and Pan American Tae Kwon Do teams. He is the world's 
premier authority on Tae Kwan Do and his knowledge is without parallel 
in this martial arts discipline. Master Park has been featured in the 
New York Times, Newsday and has graced the covers of virtually every 
martial arts publication. Master Park is renowned for having translated 
his fighting ability into teaching ingenuity, something few successful 
competitors have been able to do. He brought his techniques and the 
austere conditions of his native Korean training halls to the African 
nation of Lesotho. He trained their secret service and special police 
agents for 2 years. He, also, trained and led their Tae Kwon Do team to 
the Seoul Olympics. The women's team took first place and the men's 
team finished second.
  Master Park has established himself as a great teacher and an 
outstanding community leader. He has done much to bring Tae Kwon Do to 
national prominence. Presently, he is President of the NY State Tae 
Kwon Do Association. And, he has served the United States as an Olympic 
coach and as a coach at the Pan American Games. Though Mr. Park has 
been busy in the sport that he loves, he has not forgotten the welfare 
of the community. He promotes the fundraising programs for the March of 
Dimes, The American Cancer Society, the American Cystic Fibrosis 
Foundation and many other organizations. He has also served as the 
president of the Korea American Association of Long Island and is a 
current member of the Nassau County Youth Board.
  Mr. Park graduated from Korea University with honors in history. He 
studied at the United States Olympic Academy XII at Penn State 
University. He has published many books including ``Tae Kwon Do for 
Children'' and ``Tae Kwon Do DINOSAURS''. He has been honored by Nassau 
County, the United States Olympic Committee, Korea University, and the 
World Tae Kwon Do Federation, and many others.
  He and Sunwoo (also known as Connie) were married in 1982 and they 
have two sons, Edward and Elliot, and one daughter, Nina.
  Mr. Speaker, Master Yeon Hwan Park's worldwide contributions to the 
sport of Tae Kwon Do and his New York community make him more than 
worthy of receiving our recognition today.

                          ____________________