The highlight of the LA Korean Festival, the “Korean Parade,” which is the largest celebration of the Korean American community, will mark its 52nd anniversary with a vibrant display on Saturday, October 18, along Olympic Boulevard in the heart of LA’s Koreatown.

This year’s parade will be led by Yongki Lee, Chairman of the A&E Christian Foundation, as the Grand Marshal, symbolizing the parade’s significance, and Congressman Dave Min, representing the bridge of friendship and cooperation between the Korean American and mainstream communities, as the Honorary Grand Marshal.

Hosted by the Korea Times Los Angeles, the 52nd Korean Parade celebrates the 122nd anniversary of Korean immigration to the U.S., showcasing the strength and unity of the Korean American community under the theme “Beyond Boundaries, Toward a New Leap Forward,” symbolizing a renewed commitment to the community’s progress.

Yongki Lee, the Grand Marshal leading the parade, is a prominent figure known for embodying the spirit of “practicing love.” A veteran leader who has served as president of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce and the Koreatown Lions Club, Lee founded the Andrew & Elizabeth Christian Foundation, through which he has been at the forefront of community service and philanthropy. He has notably supported children in South Korea suffering from heart valve disease by arranging heart surgeries in the U.S. and has provided eye care and surgeries for low-income children in Korea. His contributions to the advancement of Korean American political empowerment and charitable scholarship programs earned him the prestigious Order of Civil Merit, Magnolia Medal.

Congressman Dave Min, participating as the Honorary Grand Marshal to represent the Korean American community’s stature in mainstream society, is the first Korean American Democrat from California to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. A trailblazer in political empowerment, Min, a legal expert, previously served as a professor at UC Irvine School of Law and as a California State Senator before his election to Congress last year, where he continues to engage actively in legislative work.

The 52nd Korean Parade will also feature the “Community Service Awards” ceremony, established by the Korea Times to honor individuals and organizations that have consistently contributed to the growth of the Korean American community through outstanding service, further enriching the festival’s significance as a community celebration.

Introduced last year, the “Korea Times Community Service Awards” recognize individuals and groups who have quietly dedicated themselves to supporting and improving the lives of Korean Americans and advancing the community. This year’s second award recipients include: Bunja Yoo, Chairman of Somang Society
Ben Park, President of the Korean American Law Enforcement Organization (KALEO)
Paul Seo, Vice Mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes
Rachel Rodriguez, Chief of the LAPD Olympic Station
Korean American CPA Association (President Philip Son) as the recipient organization.

Bunja Yoo, founder of Somang Society, has contributed to the well-being and dignified end-of-life care for Korean American seniors, as well as medical research on dementia, family caregiving, and body donation for medical education. Ben Park leads KALEO, an organization of Korean American law enforcement officers, working to enhance the community’s safety and stature.

Paul Seo, a promising next-generation Korean American politician and West Point graduate, serves as a prosecutor for the California Attorney General’s Office while advocating for residents’ rights as a councilmember in Rancho Palos Verdes, a key Korean American residential area. Rachel Rodriguez, a Korean American of mixed heritage, serves as the first Korean American chief of the LAPD Olympic Station, overseeing Koreatown’s safety and fostering collaboration with the Korean American community.

The Korean American CPA Association, the organizational award recipient, has partnered with the Korea Times for 36 years to host free tax seminars, providing valuable tax-related information and services to Korean American taxpayers annually, establishing itself as a leading nonprofit economic organization.