Wooj Byun is a Minnesota-based attorney, community leader, and a Rotarian. He studied law both in Korea and the United States. Since he graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1993, he has practiced law in Minnesota. Wooj was born in Korea, and he has lived and worked in Seoul, Hong Kong, and Minneapolis. Wooj received a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship in 1990, which was instrumental in his ability to realize his dream of becoming an international lawyer and a global citizen. Click "Read More" for more details about Wooj Byun.Wooj was born in Korea, and he has lived and worked in Seoul, Hong Kong, and Minneapolis. He served as advisor to the president of South Korea on the subject of reunification of the two Koreas. He also served the president of the University of Minnesota as the Chair of Asian Advisory Committee. When he was the Chairperson of the Asian Pacific Cultural Center (APCC) during the Jesse Ventura administration as the Governor or Minnesota, Wooj successfully raised over 1 million dollars by convincing the then Senator Paul Wellstone. Wooj served as President of Minnesota Korean Association (2000-2001). Since 2012, he served as a board member of the Weisman Art Museum in Minnesota for two terms (6 years). Wooj received an award from the Major of Edina Jim Hovland in 2008 for his outstanding service in the community.
Wooj received a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship in 1990, which was instrumental in his ability to realize his dream of becoming an international lawyer and a global citizen. He joined Edina Rotary Club, mainly to pay back the scholarship he received from Rotary International. He served as president of Edina Rotary Club from 2011 to 2012. He is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.
He served as District 5950’s legal counsel from 2014 through 2016. Wooj lives in Edina with his wife, Jennifer Park, who also became a Paul Harris fellow, and their two daughters. He has been a dynamic speaker on the subject of “Service above Self.” Since the publication of the book in 2014 titled “My Rotary Journey,” he was invited to Rotary conventions including Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and finally, Rotary International Convention in Seoul in 2016.