Deported Purple Heart Army veteran hopes for U.S. return from South Korea

By Jai Cunningham

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    South Korea (KITV) — Americans paused to celebrate Independence Day, but despite being far from home, one veteran who self-deported to South Korea still feels the significance of this holiday.

Sae Joon Park, a U.S. Army veteran, self-deported to South Korea, his birthplace, leaving behind his elderly mother in Hawaii. Park’s story garnered widespread attention due to his service for the United States. He served on the front line and was shot twice in combat in Panama, earning a Purple Heart for his bravery.

“Join the U.S. Army, military. Fought for our country. Infantry; that’s front line. I volunteer for that and no one forced me to be infantry. And I was very proud when I was serving the country and that what I did,” Park said.

An online petition with nearly 3,400 signatures urges authorities in New York to reopen Park’s criminal case, which led to his deportation on June 23, 2025. Park was convicted of drug possession and failure to appear in court. He shared why his story resonates with many.

“The fact that I fought for this country and even though I wasn’t a U.S. citizen. The fact that I joined the military, fought frontline for this country and actually took two bullets. I don’t know what more I have to do to be an American,” Park said.

Currently in Korea, Park reunited with his biological father but remains overwhelmed by the support he has received. He expressed his desire to return to the U.S., where he has lived for nearly 50 years. Concerns about his elderly mother’s health prevent her from visiting him in Korea.

Park shared that his mother recently suffered a fall in Hawaii, and the journey to Korea would be too taxing for her, potentially leading to serious injury.

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