[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 48 (Thursday, March 22, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H1522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF DR. BYUNG WOOK YOON AND NATIONAL KOREAN AMERICAN DAY

  (Ms. WATERS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Korean American 
Day. I would like to recognize the 109th anniversary of the first 
Korean immigrants to arrive in the United States and the achievements 
of the Korean American responsible for bringing both this day and the 
importance of the contributions of Korean Americans to light, Dr. Byung 
Wook Yoon.
  In 2003, Dr. Yoon, then-president of the Southern California 
Centennial Committee of Korean Immigration to the United States, began 
the campaign to establish a National Korean American Day. In 2004, when 
Dr. Yoon became president of the Korean American Foundation, he formed 
the National Committee of Korean American Day. Under his leadership in 
2005, the committee claimed victory when the United States Senate and 
U.S. House of Representatives passed resolutions supporting the goals 
and ideals of Korean American Day and established an annual celebration 
recognizing the many contributions of Americans of Korean descent to 
the life and cultural fabric of the United States.
  Aside from spearheading the campaign to establish Korean American 
Day, Dr. Yoon has accomplished a great deal in his lifetime. He is the 
recipient of the Presidential Award from the Republic of Korea, the 
Grand Award for World Korean Day from the World Korean Interchange and 
Corporation Association, and the Grand Award for Korean American Day 
from the Korean American Foundation.

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