From a professional perspective or on a personal level, Dr. Young In Park was an exceptional, memorable personality. “In terms of effectiveness and influence, there has been nobody better at moving markets,” says Mike Callahan, who oversaw Dr. Park’s U.S. Grains Council Korea programs for 20 years.

Park, who opened the Council’s Korea office in 1972, was always looking for different approaches the Council could take, Callahan remembers.

“He was on the ground when the animal agriculture and feed industry development kicked in for Korea, and he was very successful in introducing the checkoff concept. Basically, every agricultural item produced in Korea today is now under some kind of checkoff.”

According to Callahan, Park’s talent for building connections and alliances was also exceptional, whether it was a matter of cultivating relations with U.S. growers or working with Korea’s government.

“He understood the importance of good relations with the Council’s membership and was quick to respond to membership needs. In Korea, he knew just about everybody who was anybody and always seemed to stay ahead of the game about what the government would do. Korea ultimately became our number two or number three export market, all on his watch,” he concluded.

Byong Ryol Min, who succeeded Dr. Park as director of the Korea office, said Park was a man of wisdom and foresight, who played a key role in introducing the checkoff system, integrated business systems, and much-needed technical and management expertise into Korea’s livestock sector and corn milling industry.

“He was a very aggressive and effective advocate for U.S. agriculture,” said Min, noting especially Park’s instrumental role in assuring Korean importers of the U.S. ability to provide reliable supplies of quality grains and in facilitating the smooth flow of grains to the Korean market.

During the 30 years Park worked for the Council, Korea’s coarse grains imports expanded from 400,000 metric tons to more than 11 million tons. Accumulated U.S. corn sales totaled almost 3.5 billion bushels during the period.

For Mike Wagner, formerly executive director for the Ohio Corn Marketing Program, Park was not only a colleague but a personal friend.

“He taught me the importance of trade teams and how they should operate,” Wagner remembered. “His ability to select team members was exceptional. He would bring the best, most influential people, and many times he would bring young people who were number two or three in a company.

“Then in a few years, they were heads of companies. It’s amazing to me how he thought ahead to make things happen.”

Wagner cites Park’s professionalism, his integrity, and exceptional skills. In one example, he told of being in Agriculture Secretary John Block’s office and watching Park tell Block about a Korean agricultural experiment station at the same time he translated what was being said into Korean.

“He was genuine,” Wagner concludes.

After retiring from the Council in 2003, Park continued to work to encourage Korean checkoff initiatives.

He was 76 when he passed away on a trip to Tanzania, during which he successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

“Dr. Park formed alliances and organizations in Korea that are still vibrantly leading Korean agriculture today, and he can be credited as one of the founders of Korea’s agricultural checkoff system,” says Tom Sleight, USGC president and CEO.

“He leaves many friends throughout the world and certainly throughout the United States.”

Condolences can be sent to the family, in care of Dr. Park’s son:

Dr. Hyung Lae Park 
hlpark00@gmail.com or
Room 301, Namtaeryung Villa, #602-168, Namhyun-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-801 Korea.

To view photos of Dr. Park during his time with the Council, click here.