[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11663]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO WOONG KYUNG KIM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE COFFMAN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 17, 2013

  Mr. COFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Grandmaster Woong 
Kyung Kim of Aurora, Colorado. A Korean by birth, Mr. Kim, known 
affectionately as Bobby, became a household name in the world of 
martial arts as a teacher and a film star in the 1970s. Grandmaster Kim 
also occupied a peculiar but indispensable role in auxiliary to our 
armed forces from 1964 to 1979.
  Born in Seoul, South Korea in 1942, Grandmaster Kim began his service 
to the U.S. military while in college as a Taekwondo instructor for the 
Army's Second Infantry Division, stationed at the Demilitarized Zone 
(DMZ). Mr. Kim taught the American troops in Korea while finishing his 
studies and shortly after he graduated in 1969, he came to the United 
States and began teaching the ways of Taekwondo to cadets at the U.S. 
Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Mr. Kim ended his tenure with 
the Air Force Academy in 1979 but continues to share his knowledge of 
the Korean martial arts with pupils in Colorado to this day.
  Shortly after becoming an American citizen, Bobby Kim began an 
illustrious film career in 1975 and has been credited in 19 movies. Mr. 
Kim became a presence in the action and martial arts genre in both 
America and Korea over his career. Grandmaster Kim shared the screen 
with many great action stars during his career and even starred as the 
titular character in the 1989 Korean martial arts film ``Ernie and 
Master Kim''.
  Grandmaster Bobby Kim served as a role model and a community leader 
throughout his life. His unique service to our country is a testament 
to the American dream and we should all be proud to call him our 
countryman. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize Grandmaster Bobby 
Kim for a lifetime of achievement with our military and on the big 
screen.

                          ____________________