The Judith Ehm Foundation is a private foundation created in 2021 to honor the memory of Judith Chungwon Ehm Chung. A resident of New York City for more than fifty years, Judith was one of the pioneers of Korea Town on 32nd Street and a central figure in the Korean American community for decades. Cici opened in 1975 and became Cici Pharmacy in 1979. Over the decades, Judith’s businesses expanded – to include the flagship department store of K-Town, Cici Korean Shopping Center of New York, as well as Cici Bébé, and Cici Realty Corp. 

 

Cici Shopping Center conducted business in three languages – English, Korean and Spanish – in order to promote inclusion and serve a diverse customer base. Over the years, she contributed to many local communities in the New York metropolitan area. She funded a Korean TV news station that aired on UHF channels and is a precursor to the Korean language news programs that air in New York City today.

Judith was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up during the Japanese occupation of Korea. By the time the occupation ended, Judith was a bilingual 14- year-old. She graduated from Dongguk University, where she studied English and become trilingual. While in Korea, she worked for the U.S. Embassy, the first Bank of America branch in South Korea, the non-profit organization CARE, and translated for companies such as Pro-Ked Sneakers.

After immigrating to the United States in 1963, she served as an executive assistant at Uniroyal Tires, typing 90 words/minute on a manual typewriter. In her late sixties, Ms. Chung became a real estate broker and continued to serve as a bridge between the Korean American community and New York City for twenty years. This trailblazer passed away on February 9, 2022, at the age of 90. Her four children, eight grandchildren, and one great-grandson hope to continue her legacy through this Foundation.

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