Park Kyung-Won
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Korean notable

Biography 


박경원 (24th June 1901 - 7 August 1933) was born in Daegu, 한국.  Notable for being the first female Korean civilian 비행가, she won prizes for various races and was the first Korean female 비행가 to obtain a second class pilot license.  

Her father was a rich 농장주 in Daegu. She had four other siblings, three sisters and one brother. Being the 
youngest 딸, her parents were ready and 
willing to give her the best교육 she could get. 박경원 attended Simsang Girl's Primary and at the age of fourteen, became a 학생 in Simsang Girls High. Thanks to her parents, she was able to enlist at Kasahara Crafts Institute in Yokohama, Japan. After she returned to Daegu, 박경원 completed a midwife as well as a nursing course at Jayhe Hospital. 

Becoming a nurse wasn't her true aim. She wanted to
 pursue her dream of becoming a 비행가. 박경원 was always starving for adventure and she wasn't afraid to pilot the flying machine. Her parents however, hated the idea and objected it. Nevertheless, she defied them before returning to Japan in the year 1924. 

As preparation for piloting a 평면, she entered a 
automobile 학교. She received a drivers license 
later on. In  the year 1925 she enlisted for Tachikawa 
aviation 학교 and succeed in getting a secure spot.

Numerous newspapers announced her enrolment to the 학교. 

Her reply to the question, "What is your reason behind wanting to become a 비행가? " shocked journalists. 박경원  had said the following two sentences;

"Most people seem to think a 평면 is something that will fall and kill you, not a flying machine. I will surely become a successful pilot." 

On her first day,박경원 was put into a class of thirty-three students, in which most were male. She was the only Korean in this particular class. 

Despite their differences, she got along well with her peers. She introduced them to Korean 음식 and 문화.  During the holidays she took them to 한국 and explained it's 역사.One of the things she enjoyed doing was to make them cry from the burning sensation they feel in their mouth after eating cold noodles with red pepper powder.

Unknown to the public, 박경원 was paying her coaching fees by doing small jobs such as driving. She lived near Tachikawa 공항 she supported her own self.  

She was a strong, proud woman and she had the courage to slap anyone who voiced the Japanese term for Korean, Josenjin. Though the government required Koreans to adopt japanese surnames, 박경원 kept her family name and never hesitated to introduce herself as 박.She was also attractive and many adored her though she was persistent on the idea of staying single. 

박경원 graduated as the top 학생. She received her third class license on the 28th January 1926 having taken the exam three days prior. Two years later she obtained a second class pilot license. 

She taught at the same aviation 학교 she graduated from as well as greeted other female aviators from different countries. 박경원 still proceeded in exercising piloting. She was also making plans to fly to other parts of the world. 

On August 7th 1933 many came to applaud her for her homecoming flight back to 한국 as well as to say farewell. Dressed in her 비행가 uniform, she took off in the latest model plane, Salmson 2A2 biplane, Blue Swallow.

On the same day back at 한국, they were preparing a 축제 to welcome her. 

Forty-two minutes later she lost her way as her vision was shrouded by the 안개. She crashed near the town Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Her body was carried off to her youngest brother who was a doctor in Daegu. Her death was reported on newspapers. A memorial was placed on Mount Gengaku on June 1934.   












 



"Most people seem to think an airplane is something that will fall and kill you, not a flying machine. I will surely become a successful pilot" - Park, Kyung Won 
        


                                      



 Profile

First name: Kyung-Won 
Last Name: Park
Gender: Female
Star sign: Cancer
Occupation: aviator 
Cause of death: plane crash 
Age at death: 32 years 1 month and 14 days 

 









Translations 

 박경원: Park Kyung-Won
한국: Korea 
비행가: aviator 
농장주: farmer 
딸: daughter 
교육: education 
학생: student 
평면: plane
학교: school
음식: food
문화: culture
역사: history
공항: airport 
축제: gala
안개: fog
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