Korean Federation SE 2023 Sports Festival Speech

Sunny K Park • June 13, 2024

The 2023 Korean American Sports Festival Is Yours to Enjoy!


Sunny K. Park, Founder,

Federation of Korean American Association of the Southeastern U. S.

 

Greetings to all the athletes participating in the 41st Southeast United States

Korean American Sports Festival! We created it for you and you to enjoy!

 

Through your participation, our community will be made stronger—the

essential ingredient for the future of all Korean Americans and the United

States of America.

 

In June 1981, 48 dedicated Korean American community leaders from 18

cities in the six US southeastern states gathered and discussed finding some

ideal solutions to building a united community for future Korean American

generations. Having an annual sports festival was one of a few plans, and

the event has now become a tradition after 40 years.

 

Moreover, we are proud to say that it has also become one of the most

popular and effective events for youth among the Korean American

community. We have made great progress in the last few decades in

bringing our people together.

 

As you can imagine, the efforts of hundreds of community volunteers are

required to organize and prepare such an event and the venue. A few

oversights may have occurred; while we strive to be perfect, we often can’t

be. As such, I would like to challenge each of you to take your own

ownership of the festival and help to improve our future events.

Please pay attention to newly established Great American Scholarship

program. $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships just for college bound Korean

American high school students from the Southeastern United States. It is

scheduled to take applications in November 2023.

 

I congratulate Mr. Andrew Hong, the chairman, the leadership of the

federation, the organizers, and volunteers for the successful sports festival.

 

I hope you all enjoy the day, renew old friendships, and make new ones.

Speech on General Mike Scaprrotti’s Liberty Award celebration 10 Dec 2025

By Sunny K Park • January 3, 2026
Sunny K. Park, President, American Korean Friendship Society Good evening! I would like to express my gratitude to ICAS and Dr. Kim for granting me the opportunity to offer remarks about tonight's honoree. General Scaparrotti's distinguished military career is widely recognized for its exceptional achievements. I first met General Scaparrotti in Korea at his change of command ceremony; an event officiated by General Dempsey. At the time, I attended as a guest of General Thurman, the outgoing commander, while General Scaparrotti assumed leadership of US Forces in Korea. In subsequent years, specifically from 2022 to 2024, I had the privilege of working alongside General Scaparrotti during his tenure as Chairman of the Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA), where I serve on the Advisory Board. Upon taking on this role, General Scaparrotti promptly initiated a conference call with me to gain comprehensive insight into KDVA’s operations. Our conversation lasted over an hour and encompassed both the organization's history and strategic direction. As you can tell, I was one of about 2 dozen leaders of KDVA. I found General Scaparrotti’s genuine commitment to effective leadership and organizational excellence particularly noteworthy. I wish to highlight several personal anecdotes shared by his Korean colleagues. Throughout his nearly forty-year service, he demonstrated unwavering respect for fallen soldiers by displaying their photographs in his office and providing continued support to their families. Notably, in 2015, following an incident in which two Korean Army sergeants were injured by a landmine, General Scaparrotti was the first to visit them in the hospital, encouraging their recovery. Under General Scaparrotti's leadership, KDVA has flourished, further reinforcing the US-Korea alliance. His exemplary leadership and selfless dedication have significantly enhanced the strength and vitality of this crucial partnership. It is my honor to congratulate General Mike Scaparrotti on receiving this year’s ICAS Liberty Award—a recognition that is truly well deserved.

Iconic Sculpture Honoring Veterans’ Sacrifices to be Dedicated at Sandy Springs Park

By Sunny K Park • July 11, 2025
The newly opened Veterans Park is located on the parcel of land between Roswell Road, Johnson Ferry Road, and Mt. Vernon Highway.

The Ellis Island Honors Society honors the importance of immigration to America’s prosperity

By Sunny K Park • March 11, 2025
The Ellis Island Honors Society honors the importance of immigration to America’s prosperity and celebrates the contributions immigrants and their progeny have made to our nation. In 1986, Ellis Island Honors Society founded the Ellis Island Medals of Honor to commemorate the indefatigable spirit of those who immigrated to the United States during the Ellis Island era.  The Medal is presented annually to those who have shown an outstanding commitment to serving our nation either professionally, culturally or civically, among other criteria.