Obituary of Jeung Han Kim

Jeung Han Kim was born in Korea and came to the United States with Army Dentist Charles Shambaugh of Bellville, OH. He attended school in Bellville and Cleveland Ohio. He leaves behind sons Jonathan and Jason Kim, daughter Karen Su Kim, grandchildren Ian Cordova, Odin and Astrid Kim and he did absolutely love those grandchildren he had.

Master Jeung H. Kim graduated from Kent State University where he earned his B.A. and M.A. in

Education. Master Kim served in the US Army 4th Armored Division – 24th Combat Engineer Battalion in Nuremberg, Germany. He was also a member of the All-European Armed Forces Rifle Team. Master Kim was a retired College Professor of Education holding martial art ranks in Tae Kwon Do, 6th Dan, Jui Jitsu 8th Dan and 10th Dan in karate. Master Kim began his Martial Arts training in Korea as a child under Master Chul Hee Park. In 1961 He began Isshinryu training under Master Harry Acklin in Cleveland, Ohio. It is here where he met and trained with Master Tatsuo Shimabuku. Master Kim continued his training with Masters Kichiro Shimabuku, Master Angi Uezu, and Master Don Nagle. Master Nagle promoted Hanshi Kim to 9th Dan in Isshinryu. In 2010 he was promoted by a Board of Karate Masters to the rank of 10th Dan.

Master Kim has been involved in competing, teaching, coaching, officiating and promoting Isshinryu karate for more than fifty years. He was widely known as a top award-winning competitor who won countless competitions due to his highly skilled and technically correct executed karate techniques. After retiring from competition, he used his expertise to produce a long list of champions locally, nationally and internationally. Professor Kim formed successful karate clubs and schools in Ohio and New Jersey. As a college professor he taught accredited Isshinryu Karate Classes at Brookdale Community College for thirty years. He also introduced and taught the first karate and self-defense program at Kent State University in the late sixties. Master Kim suggested to Master Kichiro Shimabuku the need to bring together Isshinryu karateka in the USA for a national tournament. The I.W.K.A.World Championships was the result of his idea and in 1981 he sponsored the first Isshinryu World Champions. Hanshi Kim was also the first Isshinryu Sensei to coach a National USA Team in a World Championship.

As a national and international coach for the AAU and USA Karate Federation under the U.S .Olympic

Committee, Master Kim coached many prestigious international events including the 1980 (WUKO)

World Championships in Spain, the 1984 World Championships in Holland, the 1985 Eastern Europe Karate Championship in Hungary, the 1991 Fukuoka World Cup in Japan, the 1997 French Intl. Good Will Karate Cup and many, many more. When he was not coaching national teams, he was officiating national and international events and earned his international official's license. Master Kim was a representative to the US Olympic Committee's Coaches Education Symposium and Sport Psychology Symposium. The 1986 US Olympic Committee and USA Karate Federation "Man of the Year" award,

1997 AOKA "Master Instructors Award, and the 1988 US Olympic Committee and USA Karate Federation " Distinguished Service Award", IHOF Hall of Fame in 2014 are among many in recognition for his contributions and leadership to Isshinryu Karate and the Martial Arts.

Jeung Han Kim was a man of integrity, humor and kind-heartedness. He will be sorely missed by the thousands of students he taught, by his close friends, by all those he knew, and by his family.

A memorial gathering will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia (Route 524), Freehold Township on Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeung's name may be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, Post Office Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. For information, directions or to leave condolence messages to the family, please visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com .