September 23, 2022 (NYC)–Taekwondo Officer Guards Korean President. The United Nations General Assembly took place this week in NYC. Among the visiting international representatives visiting the United States was South Korea’s current President, Yoon Suk-yeol.
During United Nations’ week security is extremely heightened. There is a massive coordination of efforts between international security forces, Federal law enforcement, and the New York City Police Department to keep the influx of international dignitaries safe. As part of the security detail assigned to protect the South Korean President was NYPD Detective, Myungsun “James” Thorsten, together with three (3) other distinguished NYPD officers. Detective Thorsten happens to be a Korean- American, as well as a 4th Dan Taekwondo candidate.
Thorsten, a veteran of the New York City Police Department, is not new to the task
of escorting South Korean officials, as he has been assigned to this task in previous years, under previous police leadership. The team Detective Thorsten was assigned to for this week’s UN gathering was responsible for safely escorting the South Korean President to, and from, various events throughout New York City. The escort team’s responsibilities commence when the President arrives and does not end until the leader safely departs.
In addition to being police trained, Detective Thorsten has more than twenty (20) years of training in the traditional Korean martial art of Taekwondo. He has conducted various seminars and training in coordination with the NYPD in the art of self-defense, as well as showcasing his skills in Taekwondo board breaking at police functions. Detective Thorsten also acts as Neighborhood and Youth Liaison Coordination officer for the Queens South.
Thorsten currently trains Taekwondo with his family at the YH Park Taekwondo Academy, under the guidance of 1988 US Olympic Taekwondo Coach and Grandmaster, Yeon Hwan Park. Grandmaster Park, a fellow Korean-American, was in attendance at a small reception with the President for distinguished members of the Korean-American community in New York.
-by Marc Zirogiannis, Editor-in-Chief
