Charles H. Kim’s Reedley ranch just off Highway 99 in Central California grew not only a multi-million-dollar nectarine agribusiness on a global scale but a new generation of leaders for post-liberation Korea as well as the emerging Koreatown in Southern California.

 

Every summer break, the Kim Brothers plantation drew streams of jobless and wretched Korean students who had no physical work experience back in their homeland. Some simply left after a few hours or days of working on the farm; they couldn’t stand hard labor under the scorching sun.

 

To those who had withstood the test of mud and pride, Charles H. Kim, the rags-to-riches icon, was an inspiriting model. They followed in his footsteps by succeeding in professional pursuits. They also pioneered in thankless but critical community development and public services for the mounting new arrivals from Korea.  

 

Take community lawyer William Min, the first-generation pioneer in criminal defense practice and the ubiquitous, indefatigable volunteer during L.A. Koreatown’s  growth period.

 

Charles H. Kim would be particularly proud of Min’s passion to initiate and maintain the Korean American Bar Association’s pro bono legal clinic for the past 30 years. In the fiery aftermath of the 1992 L.A. Riots, he fought with 11 volunteer lawyers against the city on behalf of grocery store owner/victims to successfully remove unjust land use restrictions.

 

He came to Los Angeles at age 15 as the son of the first consul general of South Korea.

 

He taught school for 15 years before leading a remarkable criminal defense career known for his steadfast legal help for the indigent immigrants.   

 

He was probably the youngest summer worker at the Reedley ranch, since he first went to work there as a high school junior.

 

It’s no summer picnic for slightly built Asian young males, Min recalls, “carrying a 12-step ladder to pick the peaches and plums in scorching 100-degrees-plus [weather] in the San Joaquin Valley along with a gallon jug of water which was not enough to whet one’s thirst.”

 

Min considers Charles H. Kim the most respectable pioneer immigrant he has met in the U.S. “He was a very warm and fatherly person. Not only did he make a significant contribution to the immigration community but also to the formation of community infrastructure for later-arriving immigrants. And his philanthropic contributions extended far beyond to others.”

 

After the summer season, Min said, the Peach King parted with the college students by giving them his personal scholarship. “With his family left behind in Korea, he led the life of a true bachelor for more than 30 years, truly admirable for a man of his means.”

 

The Korean American Foundation, which Min heads as president, is largely credited with research work done for the grassroots drive involving churches and community groups to name the new elementary school after Charles H. Kim. “Working for that cause,” he said, “was one of my most cherished moments due to the dedication, endless time and energy put forth by Yonah Hong, Alex Cha, Lindsay Lee, Alex Kim, Anna Cheong, John Ghong, Tom Kim, Robert Kwon and many other capable young Americans.”