Yong Chol Ahn

Obituary

Ambassador Yong Chol Ahn, beloved husband of Eleonore, father of Susie and Oliver, sweet grandpa of Kristina, Lauren, Jeremy and Emily, passed away on March 30, 2008. He was born in Seoul, Korea, to parents Ahn Whan Jin and Park In Ja. He leaves brothers Yong Ho Ahn and Yong Soo Ahn of Seoul, and sister Monica Song of Louisiana. Another brother, Yong Sok Ahn, was captured during the Korean War and is presumed dead.

Mr Ahn was a graduate of Seoul National University and Georgetown University. During the Korean War, he was taken POW by the Chinese Army and later turned over to the North Koreans. He escaped, and for several weeks survived the perils of enemy fire in the rugged terrain of the Korean mountains. Eventually, he came across a convoy of U.N. Forces and led to freedom. During his career as a diplomat for the Republic of Korea from 1955 to 1991, he represented his government at the United Nations European Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, at the United Nations in New York, at the Korean Embassy in Rome, Italy, as Consul General in Atlanta, Georgia, Ambassador to Ghana in Accra and Ambassador to Colombia in Bogota. He also served as Dean of Faculty at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security from 1981 to 1983 and was Research Commissioner at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Until his passing, he was a member of the Korean Council on Foreign Relations in Seoul, and member of the Lexington Veterans Association.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Church of Resurrection, 8121 Cypress Lake Dr., in Fort Myers on Friday, April 4th at 12:30 pm. Memorial donations can be made to the Lexington Veterans Association, 16257 Willowcrest Way, Fort Myers, FL 33908.