Foundation honors four Korean couples

District Governor Eun-Soo Moon and his wife, Hyun Joo Yang, were inducted into the Arch C. Klumph Society on 29 January during a ceremony at RI World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA.

Four Korean couples were inducted into the Arch C. Klumph Society , which honors people who give at least US$250,000 to The Rotary Foundation, during a Korea Day ceremony paying tribute to their country and its contribution to Rotary.

District Governor Eun-Soo Moon and Hyun Joo Yang, Rotary Foundation Alumni Coordinator and Past District Governor Sung Eon Hong and Eun Ja Park, Past District Governor Kyong-Mo Chong and Ki-Soon Choi, and Past District Governor Sung-Hee Nam and Yoon Gi Kim were welcomed into the society 29 January at RI World Headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA.

Of all the nations in the Rotary world, Korea has the second largest number of society members, behind only the United States, and Korean Rotarians continue to be among the Foundation’s most generous supporters. The country has experienced a growth in Rotary club membership in recent years and now has more than 56,000 Rotarians in almost 1,400 clubs.

Attendees at the induction ceremony, which was conducted mostly in Korean, were treated to an opening performance by a samulnori percussion team. A Korean buffet followed the event.

The audience included Sunghwan Son, Korean consul-general in Chicago; Deokhyun Jo, director of the Korean Tourism Organization of Chicago; Charlie Jung, president of the Korean American Association of Chicago; and members of the Rotary Club of Chicagoland Korean -- Northbrook.

“In addition to their generous support of our Rotary Foundation, today’s honorees have been strong leaders, inspiring scores of new members to become Rotarians,” said RI President Dong Kurn Lee, who presided over the ceremony. “Today, we not only thank them for their gifts but also for their infectious enthusiasm for Rotary, which has inspired so many to embrace the call of Service Above Self.”

Eun-Soo Moon and Hyun Joo Yang

Moon, president and chair of Moon Dental Clinic, joined the Rotary Club of Cheonan-Dosol, Chungcheongnam, in April 2001. He was club president in 2001-02 and 2003-04, and he served two terms as chair of his district’s annual giving subcommittee. He is governor of District 3620 and executive director of The Rotary Korea magazine. Moon and his wife, Yang, support the Annual Programs Fund , Permanent Fund , and PolioPlus .

“I know how difficult it is for someone to overcome poverty and difficulties when there is no one to help them,” said Moon, sharing how he faced financial hardship as a young man. “That is why I am now helping my neighbors and others who are in need. Through Rotary, we are able to not only provide temporary help but support people in a more fundamental way.”

Sung Eon Hong and Eun Ja Park

Hong, a Rotary Foundation alumni coordinator, has been a member of the Rotary Club of Jeonju-Poongnam, Jeonrabug, since 1991. He served as club president in 2000-01 and as District 3670 Membership Development Committee chair in 2002-03. He was district governor in 2006-07.

During Hong’s year as club president, 45 new members joined his Rotary club, setting a new record for Zone 9. Hong and his wife, Park, support the Annual Programs Fund, Permanent Fund, and Matching Grants  program.

“Through Rotary, my life has become much fuller,” Hong said. “Rotary has given me the opportunity to provide service to others and develop leadership skills.”

Kyong-Mo Chong and Ki-Soon Choi

Chong, a retired rear admiral, has been a member of the Rotary Club of Seoul Yongdungpo, Seoul, since 1971. He served as club president in 1975-76, as governor of District 3640 in 1991-92, and as a member of RI’s Youth Service Task Force in 1993-94. In 2007, Chong and his wife, Choi, established an endowed Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship . They are longtime supporters of the Annual Programs Fund.

“The government can’t meet all the needs of the world; the private sector needs to meet some of those needs too,” Chong said. “Rotary is the means by which we can volunteer and participate.”

Sung-Hee Nam and Yoon Gi Kim

Nam, president of Daegu Health College, joined the Rotary Club of Daegu-Sooryeon, Daegu, in 1998. She served two terms as club president, beginning in 1999-2000, and was governor of District 3700 in 2005-06. She has also served as a special adviser to The Rotary Korea magazine. Her husband, Kim, is an active member of the Rotary Club of Daegu. They are longtime supporters of the Annual Programs Fund and generous supporters of PolioPlus.

“Through Rotary, we can build fellowship and vocational service,” Nam said. “In the world, there are so many political differences and gaps between rich and poor. In Rotary, we can bridge those gaps and build understanding.”