James Siun Park

James Siun Park passed away on September 13, 2016, at his home in Burbank, California. He is survived by his wife, Chung Ui; three children, Christine, Brian and Douglas; son-in-law, Bradley; daughters-in-law, Kara and Vanessa; grandchildren, Madeline, Calvin, Adrienne, Winston, Nicole, and Michael; and his five siblings and their families.

Siun was born on February 1, 1938, in Haenam-kun in South Jeolla province, South Korea. He is the eldest son born to Yoo Hwan Park and Suk Shim Lee. He graduated from Mokpo High School in 1955 and later joined the South Korean Army where he studied to become a Second Lieutenant in 1961. In 1965, he served as Operations Officer of Military Engineers in the 26th Infantry Division of the Army and was dispatched to Vietnam in the first group of the Tiger Division. In 1967, he was awarded the Inheon Order of Military Merit.

In 1968, Siun married Chung Ui Suh in Seoul, South Korea, and returned to work as a civilian in Vietnam. In 1972, he emigrated to the United States with his young family and began his career as a real estate developer in 1973. He was appointed to several positions including: Zoning Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles, Commissioner of the L.A. Convention Center, on the President's Advisory Council of the Korean-American Democratic Party.

He returned to South Korea in 1995 to serve as the CEO of Dae Wang Corp. and in 1998 as Vice President of Shindonga Group. In 2000, he returned to the United States to resume his work in construction and real estate development. Though he was proud of the buildings he left behind, he felt his greatest professional accomplishment was the many lives he was able to improve through the jobs, partnerships, and friendships he formed.

Siun worked tirelessly to provide the best opportunities for his entire family, including his parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren. Education was his top priority, and he valued honesty and humility. He always knew how to lighten the mood with his sense of humor and treated everyone he met with kindness and respect.

Most importantly, Siun was a man of God. In his final days, he reassured his loved ones of his unwavering peace about his future. As his body grew weaker, his faith grew stronger.