past Award Recipients

2023

  • Jennie Jin, Ph.D. Supervisory Forensic Anthropologist, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)

  • Lucy Park, MD, Co-founder, Sejong Cultural Society

2022

  • Jin Young Park, MD, Ph.D. General Surgeon, Director of New Village Hospital, Karen State, Burma

  • Special Recognition: Korean Connection, a non-profit organization committed to Korean outreach in Grand Rapids, Michigan

2021

  • Jungsoo George Choe, President & CEO, Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, Philadelphia, PA, USA

2019

  • Sahie Kang, Ph.D., Director of School of Korean, Middlebury College, USA

  • Jacqueline Pak, Ph.D., Former Professor of Korean History at Cornell University, USA

2018

  • Joon Oh, Former Ambassador of Korea to the United Nations, Korea

  • The late Hallie Covington, Missionary for Korea, USA

2017

  • Sung Soon Kim, President of National Korean Studies Seminar, USA

  • The 68th AAA Gun Battalion/508th Ops Detachment, Korean War Veterans Group, USA

2016

  • Seong Chi, M.D., Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgeon M.D., Michigan, USA

  • Robert Turley, President and Founder of the Korean Art Society, New York, USA

2015

  • Pyong Gap Min, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor; Director, The Research Center for Korean Community, Queens College, USA

2014

  • Robert M. Oppenheim, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies, University of Texas at Austin, USA

  • Dong Jin Kim, Chairman, The Hulbert Memorial Society, Korea

  • Daewook Hong, Orthotist & Founder, New Hope Rehabilitation Foundation, USA

2013

  • Boo Kyum Kim, Former National Assemblyman, Korea

  • Dai Sil Kim-Gibson, Ph.D., Writer & Filmmaker, USA

2012

  • Mary Connor, President, the Korea Academy for Educators, USA

  • Dong-Hae Kim, M.D., Medical Director, Vision Care Service, Korea

  • Special Tributes: Eunil Lee, Ph.D., Poet, USA

2011

  • Bruce Fulton, Ph.D. & Ju-Chan Fulton, The Inaugural Holder of Young-Bin Min Chair, University of British Columbia; Author, USA

  • Djun Kil Kim, Professorial Chair, University of Asia & the Pacific, Philippines

2010

  • Mark A. Peterson, Ph.D., Professor, Brigham Young University, USA

  • Jong S. Kweon, Director, A Cup of Water International, USA

  • Special Tributes: Eyun-Kee Lee, Novelist, Korea            

2009

  • Marn J. Cha, Ph.D., Professor, California State University, Fresno, USA

  • Chung Youn Kim, Medical Missionary for Uganda, Korea

  • Harry Kim, Former Mayor of Hilo, Hawaii, USA

2008

  • Heinz Insu Fenkl, Professor, State University of New York, New Paltz, USA

  • Suk-Hi Kim, Ph.D., Professor, University of Detroit Mercy, USA

  • Samuel D. Yoo, M.D., Medical Missionary for Uganda, Korea

2007

  • Yoon Joo Lee, Ph.D., Economist/CTO, United States Agency for International Development, USA

  • David McCann, Ph.D., Professor, Harvard University, USA

  • Anne Sibley O’Brien, Writer/Publisher, USA

2006

  • Hoon-Yung Hopgood, State Representative of Michigan, USA

  • Tariq Hussain, Country Representative, Maxmakers, Korea

  • Jong Nam Oh, Ph.D., Executive Director, International Monetary Fund, Korea

2005

  • Dean L. Hubbard, Ph.D., President, Northwest Missouri State University, USA

  • Young Whan Kihl, Ph.D., Professor, Iowa State University, USA

  • Martha Vickery, for Korean Quarterly, State of Minnesota, USA

  • Special Tributes: Joo Won Seo, Former Secretary General, Korean Federation for Environmental Movement

2004 

  • John Conyers Jr., Congressman, the House of Representatives, USA

  • Chang Soo Huh, Chairman, GS Holdings, Korea

  • Young Woo Kang, Ph.D., Presidential Appointee by U.S. Senate, USA

  • Mikhail N. Pak, Ph. D., Professor, Moscow State University, Russia

  • Don Hee Lee, for Korean Minjok Leadership Academy, Korea

  • Special Tributes

  • Joon S. Moon, Ph.D., Charman, Mt. Rose Capital, USA

  • The late Sang-Yong Nam, Ph.D., President of Supporting Committee for Center for Korean Studies at the University of Michigan, USA

  • Chul Young Kim, Ph.D., President, Michigan State University Alumni Association, Korea

  • Tai Sung Kim, Ph.D., Professor, Lansing Community College, USA

  • John Ruselowski, Chairman, Korean War Veterans Committee, Michigan, USA

2003 

  • Kyungshik Kang, Ph.D., Professor, Brown University, USA

  • Young-Key Kim-Renaud, Ph.D., Professor, George Washington University, USA

  • Bertrand M. Renaud, Ph.D., Consultant, World Bank, USA

  • Suk Ku Song, Ph. D., Emeritus Professor, Dongguk University, Korea

  • Nels Running, Major General, for 50th Anniversary of Korean War Commemoration Committee, USA       

  • Myung Ja Kim, Ph. D., Distinguished Professor, Myongji University, Korea

  • Special Tributes

  • Sandy Holy, Former Assistant Director of Visiting International Professional Program, Michigan State University, USA

  • Sang Woong Lee, Branch Manager of Dong-A USA, Michigan, USA

2002 

  • Katharine H.S. Moon, Ph.D., Jane Bishop Associate Professor, USA

  • Kook Hyun Moon, Wellesley College President and Chief Executive Officer, Yuhan-Kimberly, USA

  • Yoon-Soo Park, Ph.D., Chairman of National Board of Directors, Korean American Scholarship Foundation, USA

  • Ung Soo Kim, Ph.D., Chairman of Board of Directors, The International Council on Korean Studies (ICKS), USA

  • Jurgen Kleiner, J.D., Career Diplomat, German Foreign Service, Germany

  • Special Tributes

  • Sung Woo Lee, Former President of Lee Mart Inc., USA

  • Dennis H. Marvin, Regional Economic Development director, the Economic Development of CMS Energy, USA

  • Kyu-Taik Sung, Ph.D., Endowed Chair Professor, University of Southern California, USA

2001

  • Chong Kuk Son, Ph.D., Chancellor, Kyonggi University, Korea

  • Woon-Hyung Lee, Chairperson, SeAh Group, Korea

  • The Nautilus Institute, Peter Hayes, Ph.D., Executive Director; Tim Savage, Senior Security Program Officer, Berkeley, California, USA

  • Special Tributes

  • Charles W. Greenleaf, Vice President for University Projects, Michigan State University, USA

  • Woo Yeol Kim, Korea House, East Lansing, Michigan, USA

2000

  • Susan Sungsoo Cho, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist & Manager, Nutrition Research Programs, Kellogg Company, USA

  • Ilpyong J. Kim, Professor Emeritus, University of Connecticut; President of International Council on Korean Studies, (ICKS), USA

  • Jong Moon Lee, Chairperson & CEO, Ambex Venture Group, USA

  • Jeffrey Jones, President, American Chamber of Commerce, Korea

  • Special Tributes: Brett Song, Former Vice President, Michigan Alumni Association in Korea (MAAK), Korea

1999

  • Sister Agnes Park, Director, Joseph Shelter, Ulsan, Korea

  • E. Han Kim, Ph.D., Fred M. Taylor Professor, University of Michigan, USA

  • Special Tributes: Sung Hai Chi, Medical Doctor, Holt, Michigan, USA

1998

  • Chungwon Choue, Ph.D., President, Kyunghee University, Korea

  • Moo-Yong Han, Ph.D., Department of Physics, Duke University, USA

  • Elaine Kim, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Ethnics Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA

  • Special Tributes: The Late Vincent Hoffman, Professor of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University, US

1997 

  • Byung Young Ahn, Ph.D., Minister of Education, Korea

  • Alice Amsden, Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA

  • Sang Hoon Bang, President, Chosun Ilbo, Korea

  • Honorable Donald Gregg, Honorable President, The Korea Society, USA

  • Chong-Ryang Kim, President, Hanyang University, Korea

  • Chinan-Murphy Schools, Chinan Elementary School, Chinan, Korea; Murphy Elementary School, Haslett, Michigan, USA

  • Mirae Foundation, Chicago, USA

  • Special Tributes

    • Michael Miller, Former Director, Visiting International Professional Program, Michigan State University, USA

1996

  • Bong Hak Hyun, M.D., Professor, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, USA

  • Stephen S. Kahng, President & CEO, Power Computing, USA

  • James J. Kim, Ph.D., Chairperson, ANAM Industrial Co., Ltd, USA

  • Steve Linton, Ph.D., Chairperson, The Eugene Bell Centennial Foundation, USA

  • Myong Oh, Ph.D., Former President, Dong-A Il-Bo, Korea

  • Wong-Bong Sul, Chairperson & CEO, TS Corporation, Korea

  • Moon J. Park, M.D., Ph.D., President, The Christian Association for Medical Mission, USA

  • Cindy Silvil, Representative, for Korea Culture Camp of Eastern Michigan, USA

1995

  • Edward Baker, J.D., Associate Director, Harvard Yenching Institute, USA

  • Edward Chang, President, Committee for SAT to Korean, USA

  • Elliot Kang, President & CEO, Kang and Lee Advertising, USA

  • Mr. and Mrs. Chong H. Lee; Mr. and Mrs. Hyu Young Moon, Advisors, Korean-American Student Conference, USA

  • Kwang Dong Cho, Editor, for the We Magazine, Chicago, Illinois, USA

  • Special Tributes: Sang Won Lee, Entrepreneur, Lansing, Michigan, USA