The Asian American Journalists Association is deeply saddened by the passing of K.W. Lee, a beloved member of our AAJA family. He died peacefully on March 8, 2025, at the age of 96. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his legacy.
Known as the “Godfather of Asian American Journalism,” K.W. Lee co-founded the Korean American Journalists Association in 1987, providing resources and recognizing the contributions of the Korean American community.
Lee dedicated his career to high-lighting underrepresented voices. His investigative work shed light on Chol Soo Lee, a Korean American wrongfully convicted of a 1973 murder in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Lee’s efforts sparked a national movement that resulted in the overturning of Chol Soo Lee’s conviction and his release after 10 years.
K.W. Lee’s work on the case, and the consequent social justice movement, was later immortalized by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, co-directors of the 2022 Emmy-winning documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee.”
Lee’s advocacy extended beyond the Chol Soo Lee case. When racial tensions in Los Angeles escalated during the 1990s, K.W. Lee launched The Korea Times – English Edition to provide fairer coverage of the Korean American community.
Committed to empowering future generations, Lee established the K.W. Lee Leadership Center in 2003 to equip Los Angeles Koreatown youth with leadership training, educational opportunities, and scholarships.
In 1987, Lee was the first recipient of AAJA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other accolades including the National Headliners Award from the National Headliners Club (1974 and 1983) and the Freedom Forum’s Free Spirit Award (1994).
In 2010, he was honored at AAJA’s national convention as an Asian and Asian American Founder and Pioneer in U.S. Journalism for his lasting contributions. AAJA’s forthcoming book, “Intersections: A Journalistic History of Asian Pacific America,” chronicles his legacy in a chapter, “How Telling Chol Soo Lee’s Story Amplifies All Asian Voices” by Ha, the co-director of “Free Chol Soo Lee.”
Ha, who credits Lee as her inspiration for becoming a journalist, said in a statement, “I hope he has reunited with Chol Soo up in the ‘big California sky,’ as he liked to say, and they are laughing together, celebrating the incredible journey of a film that has immortalized them both. We need their passionate fight for justice, and for the unseen and unheard, now more than ever.”
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The K.W. Lee Center for Leadership.