Council for America My Country
"To Empower to Practise Good Citizenship"
965 Clover Court, Blue Bell, PA 19422 T: (610) 277-0149 F: (610) 277-3992 E:camc@camcinc.org


Jerry Boucher
Steve S. Choi
Edward S G Dennis Jr
Mary Etezady
Julia K Han
Il Hwan Kim
Sang Joo Kim
 Director for Systems Management
Deputy Director for Voter Services
Advisor
Advisor
Secretary/Treasurer pro temp
Director for Outreach
Chairman
 Hyeon Y Kwak
Tae Shik Kwon
Willie Pai
Choon Ki Yoo
Ae Sook Yoon
Il Joong Yoon		 Director for Social Services
Deputy Director for Community Relations
Director for Data Management
Deputy Director for Outreach
Director for Ageing & Elder Care
Director for Voter Services


May 31, 2001


CHERYL LYNNE AUSTIN
Assistant District Attorney
Montgomery County District Attorney's Office
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Re: "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania vs Chang Sik Kim"
"CR0000059-01"

Dear ADA Austin:

The referenced matter has been brought to our attention, and we are interested in the proceeding(s) of the case.

Based on the press release, dated April 4, 2001, approved for release by Bruce L. Castor, Jr., District Attorney, and issued by Office of the District Attorney, we have come to learn that the Montgomery County District Attorney's Korean Advisory Committee (DAKAC) apparently played an important role of reporting the defendant's alleged theft to the District Attorney's office, which led to the arrest of the defendant on felony criminal charges.

In addition, the following preliminary aspects have also presented themselves in association with the matter.

  1. Moon Ahn, Assistant District Attorney, is a founding member of the DAKAC.
  2. Moon Ahn serves as special liaison to the DAKAC.
  3. Young Park, an attorney, is a member of the DAKAC.
  4. Young Park co-chairs the DAKAC.
  5. Young Park represents Nark Jin Ryoo of Horsham against Chang Sik Kim, a business broker.
  6. Young Park on behalf of his client, Nark Jin Ryoo, filed a civil lawsuit against Chang Sik Kim on or about November 2000 in the Montgomery County Court.
  7. Young Park held a press conference for local Korean press, and the episode was widely reported in the local Korean news media.
  8. Moon Ahn went parttime as of January 2001.
  9. Moon Ahn has his law office within the law office of Young Park.
  10. Moon Ahn's advertised fax number is 215 851 9749.
  11. Young Park's advertised fax number is 215 851 9749.
  12. Chang Sik Kim, a defendant in the civil lawsuit instituted by Young Park representing his client, Nark Jin Ryoo, was arrested on April 4, 2001.
  13. The press release issued by Office of the District Attorney stated that the DAKAC "reported Kim's theft to the District Attorney's office".
  14. The press release issued by Office of the District Attorney stated that the DAKAC's "mission is to overcome the reluctance in the Korean community to report crime to law enforcement authorities".
  15. The press release issued by Office of the District Attorney stated that Assistant District Attorney Moon Ahn serves as "special liaison" to the DAKAC.
  16. Young Park, an attorney who co-chairs the DAKAC was quoted as saying in the press release issued by Office of the District Attorney that "[w]e are pleased to see the commitment of the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office in pursuing this outrageous criminal conduct".
  17. The episode was widely reported in the mainstream printed media and a television news, let alone local Korean press.
  18. It was reported in the local Korean press that Chang Sik Kim paid in full whatever he owed to Nark Jin Ryoo on or about May 9, 2001 in the presence of Young Park and David S Kim, an attorney representing Chang Sik Kim in the subject criminal matter.
  19. David S Kim subsequently confirmed the report to be the case.
  20. We wrote letters to Young Kook Kang, President of the DAKAC, asking what motivated the DAKAC and/or any member thereof to report to the District Attorney and what specific roles the DAKAC and/or any member thereof [may have] played in the reporting process and, consequently, the arrest of Chang Sik Kim.
  21. To date, there is no response from Young Kook Kang.
  22. We wrote letters to Young Park, co-chair of the DAKAC, asking what motivated the DAKAC and/or any member thereof to report to the District Attorney and what specific roles the DAKAC and/or any member thereof [may have] played in the reporting process and, consequently, the arrest of Chang Sik Kim.
  23. To date, there is no response from Young Park.
  24. We wrote letters to Moon Ahn, Assistant District Attorney, asking if he had any knowledge as to what motivated the DAKAC and/or any member thereof to report to the District Attorney and what specific roles the DAKAC and/or any member thereof, including himself, [may have] played in the reporting process and, consequently, the arrest of Chang Sik Kim.
  25. To date, there is no response from Moon Ahn.
  26. In the meantime, we wrote to the District Attorney on April 26, 2001 asking if he and/or his office and/or any other administrative authorities (i.e., Commissioners) of the County had sanctioned and/or commissioned the DAKAC and/or its work with respect to his office and/or its work.
  27. The District Attorney wrote back on April 26, 2001 stating that "[a]ctually, this was their idea to band together and help bridge the culture/language barrier between Korean people and law enforcement. I hired a Korean-speaking assistant district attorney to help in this area, but the 'committee' is simply a group of people wanting to help members of the Korean community. So while I support their banding together to help, I did not commission the group, nor does the committee have any official standing within law enforcement. Thank your for writing".

Thank you.


 Sincerely,

Sang Joo Kim / signed
C.: members of the Board, Bruce L Castor, Jr., Melia Bowie





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CAMC is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, civic and educational organisation. It promotes ways to enhance good citizenship and its practice. It is solely supported by voluntary contributions. CAMC strives to provide public service pro bono publico in the public interest. All staff members are non-paid volunteers.



 



This page last updated 6/3/2001 jdb


 



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