Jin Hwan Kim's Obituary
Jin-Whan Kim was born on September 1, 1951, in Seoul, Korea, to Yun-Kyu Kim and Keum-Yeon Kim, both third-generation Salvationists.
During the Korean War, the Kim family took refuge on Jeju Island while he was still an infant. After the 1953 Korean War Armistice Agreement (ceasefire), the family returned to Seoul where they were active members of the Salvation Army's A-Hyun Corps. He graduated from Baeje Middle School and Daeshin High School, then enrolled in the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary. In 1971, he began his service in the Korean Air Force.
In 1973, 22-year-old Jin-Whan Kim emigrated to the U.S. with his mother and four sisters to join their father. Reunited, the Kim family settled in San Francisco, CA. In 1984, Jin-Whan married Hea-Ja (Lilian) Kim, and they had two treasured daughters: Cassie and Jessica Kim.
As an entrepreneur, he owned a hotel business and a small grocery market in the 1980s. He later expanded into global private investments, focusing on real estate, hospitality start-ups, and import businesses across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seoul, and Hong Kong.
He passed away peacefully at home on March 1, 2025.
Tin-Whan Kim is survived by his daughters, Cassie and Jessica; son-in-law Jonathan Cheng; granddaughter Audrey Kim Cheng (born March 7, 2025); and sisters Julie Park, Eva Lee, Sarah Chung, and Jeannie Tam. He is deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his entire family.
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