{"id":148746,"date":"2021-09-27T16:16:02","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T02:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=148746"},"modified":"2024-03-15T22:36:29","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T08:36:29","slug":"luangphinith-appointed-to-south-korea-special-committee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2021\/09\/27\/luangphinith-appointed-to-south-korea-special-committee\/","title":{"rendered":"UH<\/abbr> Hilo researcher appointed to South Korea special committee"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Five
Descendants of local Korean activist Chun Yik Sur attend his commendation ceremony. (Second from left), granddaughter Lumiel Kim-Hammerich, three grandsons and one great granddaughter. (Photo courtesy: Lumiel Kim-Hammerich)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seri Luangphinith<\/strong> has spent years conducting extensive research into the history of Korean immigrants to Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island. This year, the South Korea Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs appointed the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Hilo<\/a> English professor to a special committee tasked to help identify descendants of Korean independence activists. The appointment to the committee is for one year.<\/p>\n

\"Seri
Seri Luangphinith<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“My job is to track down living descendants of independence activists who have been posthumously awarded citations by the government of South Korea,” said Luangphinith. “I was asked to help, given my research of Korean history on the Big Island.”<\/p>\n

Luangphinith has already found the family of Chun Yik Sur, an important Korean activist on Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Island who was part of the organization called \ub300\ud55c\uc778\uad6d\ubbfc\ud68c which translates to Korean People\u2019s Association. Chun led the organization\u2019s Papaʻaloa<\/span> chapter and then became the General Secretary for East Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. He eventually headed the L\u0101na\u02bbi district and was active through the 1930s.<\/p>\n

The connection to the family was made through Luangphinith identifying and tracking down one of Chun\u2019s descendants, granddaughter, Lumiel Kim-Hammerich. She was surprised to learn that her grandfather was being awarded a Presidential Medal of Commendation by South Korea\u2019s President for his activism toward Korean independence.<\/p>\n

“The family had no idea their grandfather was such an important figure,” said Luangphinith. “Just so happens he was on the Big Island doing this work in Papaʻaloa<\/span> and Hilo.”<\/p>\n