CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20212022 REGULAR SESSION House Resolution No. 106Introduced by Assembly Member ChoiApril 06, 2022 Relative to Myung Ki Hong Day. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTHR 106, as introduced, Choi. Digest KeyBill TextWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong is regarded as an exemplary figure, one of the most successful Korean American businessmen, and the best role model by the Koreans at home and in California; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, eager to learn in a more advanced educational institute, came to the United States as a South Korean exchange student in 1959, and earned a bachelor of science in Chemistry, becoming the first Korean to receive a degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in that field; andWHEREAS, Out of Myung Ki Hongs desire to commit to environmentally friendly manufacturing in California, and at a time when many companies were moving out of state and overseas, Myung Ki Hong built a plant in Riverside by founding Dura Coat Products, Inc. (Dura Coat) in 1986, which is a well-known and respected resin and coating company; andWHEREAS, For these achievements, Myung Ki Hong received an honorary doctorate from La Sierra University in Riverside in 2002 and a secondary honorary doctorate from Sahmyook University in South Korea in 2014; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong founded Dura Coat, which focuses on the production of coil coatings, aluminum extrusion coatings, and other general industrial finishes for the automotive, appliance, and metal industries; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was determined not only to meet but to exceed the requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and developed a continuous coating process in which nearly all emissive products are recycled; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs technology was ahead of its time and its excellence earned Dura Coat the Achievement Award of the EPAs National Partnership for Environmental Priorities in 2009; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs company, Dura Coat, continues to distribute licensing agreements with companies in China, South Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, the Netherlands, India, and Canada, and Dura Coat looks to expand its reach to South America and Europe; andWHEREAS, Dura Coat was founded with employee-centered values and during the 200809 recession, at the Riverside and Huntsville sites, Myung Ki Hong took no salary in order to retain all employees; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, as a first-generation Korean American, was deeply involved with philanthropic, civic, and charitable causes in southern California, particularly with the aim of cultivating civic engagement among immigrant and marginalized youth; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was committed to promoting community harmony after the 1992 civil unrest in Los Angeles by ensuring active and sustained Korean American participation in politics and government; andWHEREAS, In 2002, Myung Ki Hong established a philanthropic organization, the Bright World Foundation, which aimed to respond to the increasing demands of local communities, especially by supporting the youths access to education; andWHEREAS, By the end of 2002, Myung Ki Hongs work in the Bright World Foundation was recognized by the City of Los Angeles and the California State Assembly for dedication to community and youth development through the Korean Youth Community Center; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong tirelessly worked with other members of the Korean American community on an entirely community-sourced capital campaign to build the Korean American National Museum in Los Angeles; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong chaired the board of directors of Wilshire Elementary School in Los Angeles, the only Korean American elementary school in southern California, and subsequently served as a board member until 2018. Through those efforts, the school and its 15 affiliated, regional Korean language schoolsall part of the Korean Institute of Southern Californiaflourished; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs work was inspired by the first-wave Korean American pioneer, Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (1878-1938), who was an itinerant leader of the Korean independence movement against Imperial Japan. Dosan is viewed by many to be the father of modern Korea; andWHEREAS, Dosan, a firm believer in accessible education, created a school for Korean American laborers. The education emphasized honesty, integrity, and compassion. In order to uphold these values and Dosans legacy, Myung Ki Hong also sought to enrich the lives of fellow Korean Americans through philanthropic work; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong served as the chair of the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Foundation of America and commemorated Dosan with a community-sponsored statue in downtown Riverside; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong oversaw this project through all stages of the process. The statue was completed on August 11, 2001, in downtown Riverside; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs commitment to education and research was expressed through financial contributions and extensive board service. Myung Ki Hung supported the ethnic studies department at the University of California, Riverside, the Faculty Research Center at La Sierra University, the Asian American Studies program at UCLA, the Minority Health Education Center in Los Angeles, and the Youth Leadership Development Program in Los Angeles; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was invited to be the keynote speaker at the commencement ceremony of UCLAs Chemistry and Biochemistry graduates in June of 2015 and was honored that same year with the departments Alumni Award; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was endowed with two chairs in 2017 for groundbreaking discoveries, one in polymer science and the other in materials innovation, at UCLA; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, for outstanding success in the business field, was the recipient of numerous awards, including being recognized by UCLA in 2015 and 2020; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, for large donations and many contributions to the Korean American community, was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including recognition by South Korea for the highest civilian distinction, the national medal of honor, Moo Goong Hwa Jang, in 2011 and the Dongbaek Medal for work toward the reunification of the Korean peninsula, in 2003; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong and wife Lorrie renamed their philanthropic organization from the Bright World Foundation to the M & L Hong Foundation. Their goal was to continue to share and distribute their wealth together by supporting a range of projects and initiatives that serve and benefit humanity through research funding, scholarships for students from minority or disadvantaged backgrounds, and backing community-based endeavors; andWHEREAS, After Myung Ki Hongs wife passed away on August 21, 2020, Myung Ki Hong was dedicated to honor their vision of public service through the M & L Hong Foundation through the final chapter of Myung Ki Hongs life; andWHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong made a contribution of $10,000,000 to establish the Bright World Foundation in 2001 and donated $12,000,000 at home and abroad to foster the next generation of Korean American leaders in California, scholarship, and social welfare; andWHEREAS, Korean Americans see Myung Ki Hong as a pioneer for the esteem of Korean American people in the United States; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly declares June 20, 2022, as Myung Ki Hong Day; and be it furtherResolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20212022 REGULAR SESSION House Resolution No. 106Introduced by Assembly Member ChoiApril 06, 2022 Relative to Myung Ki Hong Day. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTHR 106, as introduced, Choi. Digest Key
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20212022 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 106
Introduced by Assembly Member ChoiApril 06, 2022
Introduced by Assembly Member Choi
April 06, 2022
Relative to Myung Ki Hong Day.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 106, as introduced, Choi.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong is regarded as an exemplary figure, one of the most successful Korean American businessmen, and the best role model by the Koreans at home and in California; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, eager to learn in a more advanced educational institute, came to the United States as a South Korean exchange student in 1959, and earned a bachelor of science in Chemistry, becoming the first Korean to receive a degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in that field; and
WHEREAS, Out of Myung Ki Hongs desire to commit to environmentally friendly manufacturing in California, and at a time when many companies were moving out of state and overseas, Myung Ki Hong built a plant in Riverside by founding Dura Coat Products, Inc. (Dura Coat) in 1986, which is a well-known and respected resin and coating company; and
WHEREAS, For these achievements, Myung Ki Hong received an honorary doctorate from La Sierra University in Riverside in 2002 and a secondary honorary doctorate from Sahmyook University in South Korea in 2014; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong founded Dura Coat, which focuses on the production of coil coatings, aluminum extrusion coatings, and other general industrial finishes for the automotive, appliance, and metal industries; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was determined not only to meet but to exceed the requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and developed a continuous coating process in which nearly all emissive products are recycled; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs technology was ahead of its time and its excellence earned Dura Coat the Achievement Award of the EPAs National Partnership for Environmental Priorities in 2009; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs company, Dura Coat, continues to distribute licensing agreements with companies in China, South Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, the Netherlands, India, and Canada, and Dura Coat looks to expand its reach to South America and Europe; and
WHEREAS, Dura Coat was founded with employee-centered values and during the 200809 recession, at the Riverside and Huntsville sites, Myung Ki Hong took no salary in order to retain all employees; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, as a first-generation Korean American, was deeply involved with philanthropic, civic, and charitable causes in southern California, particularly with the aim of cultivating civic engagement among immigrant and marginalized youth; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was committed to promoting community harmony after the 1992 civil unrest in Los Angeles by ensuring active and sustained Korean American participation in politics and government; and
WHEREAS, In 2002, Myung Ki Hong established a philanthropic organization, the Bright World Foundation, which aimed to respond to the increasing demands of local communities, especially by supporting the youths access to education; and
WHEREAS, By the end of 2002, Myung Ki Hongs work in the Bright World Foundation was recognized by the City of Los Angeles and the California State Assembly for dedication to community and youth development through the Korean Youth Community Center; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong tirelessly worked with other members of the Korean American community on an entirely community-sourced capital campaign to build the Korean American National Museum in Los Angeles; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong chaired the board of directors of Wilshire Elementary School in Los Angeles, the only Korean American elementary school in southern California, and subsequently served as a board member until 2018. Through those efforts, the school and its 15 affiliated, regional Korean language schoolsall part of the Korean Institute of Southern Californiaflourished; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs work was inspired by the first-wave Korean American pioneer, Dosan Ahn Chang-ho (1878-1938), who was an itinerant leader of the Korean independence movement against Imperial Japan. Dosan is viewed by many to be the father of modern Korea; and
WHEREAS, Dosan, a firm believer in accessible education, created a school for Korean American laborers. The education emphasized honesty, integrity, and compassion. In order to uphold these values and Dosans legacy, Myung Ki Hong also sought to enrich the lives of fellow Korean Americans through philanthropic work; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong served as the chair of the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho Memorial Foundation of America and commemorated Dosan with a community-sponsored statue in downtown Riverside; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong oversaw this project through all stages of the process. The statue was completed on August 11, 2001, in downtown Riverside; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hongs commitment to education and research was expressed through financial contributions and extensive board service. Myung Ki Hung supported the ethnic studies department at the University of California, Riverside, the Faculty Research Center at La Sierra University, the Asian American Studies program at UCLA, the Minority Health Education Center in Los Angeles, and the Youth Leadership Development Program in Los Angeles; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was invited to be the keynote speaker at the commencement ceremony of UCLAs Chemistry and Biochemistry graduates in June of 2015 and was honored that same year with the departments Alumni Award; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong was endowed with two chairs in 2017 for groundbreaking discoveries, one in polymer science and the other in materials innovation, at UCLA; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, for outstanding success in the business field, was the recipient of numerous awards, including being recognized by UCLA in 2015 and 2020; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong, for large donations and many contributions to the Korean American community, was the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including recognition by South Korea for the highest civilian distinction, the national medal of honor, Moo Goong Hwa Jang, in 2011 and the Dongbaek Medal for work toward the reunification of the Korean peninsula, in 2003; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong and wife Lorrie renamed their philanthropic organization from the Bright World Foundation to the M & L Hong Foundation. Their goal was to continue to share and distribute their wealth together by supporting a range of projects and initiatives that serve and benefit humanity through research funding, scholarships for students from minority or disadvantaged backgrounds, and backing community-based endeavors; and
WHEREAS, After Myung Ki Hongs wife passed away on August 21, 2020, Myung Ki Hong was dedicated to honor their vision of public service through the M & L Hong Foundation through the final chapter of Myung Ki Hongs life; and
WHEREAS, Myung Ki Hong made a contribution of $10,000,000 to establish the Bright World Foundation in 2001 and donated $12,000,000 at home and abroad to foster the next generation of Korean American leaders in California, scholarship, and social welfare; and
WHEREAS, Korean Americans see Myung Ki Hong as a pioneer for the esteem of Korean American people in the United States; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly declares June 20, 2022, as Myung Ki Hong Day; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.