Korean American Woman Became a Chief Editor

Second generation Korean American female journalist became the editor-in-chief of the `People` magazine, a leading popular magazine which has 3.5 million circulation in the U.S. The Time, the People`s parent company, appointed Park Jin-Yi (40) as a new chief editor on Wednesday. This is the first time a Korean American became a chief editor of a major media in the U.S.

Park already became the editor-in-chief of the `In Style,` a magazine of the Time company, in 1999 for the first time as an Asian woman.

She won the Asian American Female Journalist Prize form the Asian American Society in 2001. She is a founding member of the Asian American Journalist Society and received a distinguished service prize from this society in 1997. Park is a leading Asian American journalist.

Park worked as a reporter at the Korea Herald, a Korean English newspaper. Then, entering Time company in 1985, she has worked at People, WHO, Entertainment, and In Style, sister magazines of the Time. She gained fame for her interviews with the late First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

Time announced the reason for her appointment as follows. “Although Park was joint Time as a research reporter, she moved as a beat reporter due to her qualification. She has been clearly analyzed attractions of the famous actors, including Tom Cruise and Patrick Swaze, through reports.”

After graduating from the Biochemistry Department of Harvard University with an honor degree, Park worked at the camp of Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro, then presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Democratic Party, during 1984 presidential campaign. She was invited to a White House luncheon for ten major female journalists of the U.S. hosted by First Lady Laura Bush.

Her father Park Yoon-Soo (73) earned his Ph.D. degree from Cincinnati University after graduating from the Physics Department of Seoul National University. He is currently working as an administrative officer at the Science and Technology Department of the U.S. Navy. He is an elder brother of Park Jung-Soo, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Her mother, Hyeon-Joo, is a niece of Hyeon Seong-Jong, former Prime Minister. Born as the eldest daughter of three daughters, Park married to her Harvard friend, Chinese American financial business man David Chen, vice president of Jennison Pension, and having one son and one daughter.