Jonathan Kim (born 1984) is an American US Navy lieutenant (and former SEAL), physician, and NASA astronaut.
A born-and-raised Californian, Kim enlisted in the United States Navy in the early 2000s before earning a Silver Star and his commission. While a US sailor, Kim also received his Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) in mathematics, his Doctor of Medicine, and an acceptance to NASA Astronaut Group 22 in 2017. He completed his astronaut training in 2020 and was awaiting a flight assignment with the Artemis program as of December 2020.
Personal life
Jonathan Kim was born in Los Angeles in 1984. Kim’s parents emigrated from South Korea to the United States in the early 1980s; his father scarcely completed a high-school education, the family opened a liquor store in South Los Angeles after arriving in the US, and his mother worked as a substitute elementary school teacher while raising Kim and his younger brother. In a 2018 interview with Annals of Emergency Medicine, Kim described himself as “the epitome of that quiet kid who just lacked complete self-confidence.” In 2020, The Chosun Ilbo reported that an adolescent Kim had been the victim of domestic violence at the hands of his father; in February 2002, after threatening his family with a gun, Kim’s father was shot to death in his attic by police.
At Santa Monica High School, Kim received high grades in his classes, including several Advanced Placements, while participating in swimming and water polo; he graduated in 2002. Kim received a Bachelor of Arts (summa cum laude) in mathematics from the University of San Diego in 2012, and a Doctor of Medicine from Harvard Medical School in 2016. In 2017, Kim completed his medical internship in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
As of January 2020, Kim was married with three children.
Career
Kim learned about and decided to join the United States Naval Special Warfare Command at age 16, investing his remaining high-school years physically conditioning himself for the rigors of Special Warfare training. Of this decision, Kim said, “Going into the Navy was the best decision I ever made in my life because it completely transformed that scared boy who didn’t have any dreams to someone who started to believe in himself.”
After enlisting with the United States Navy in 2002 as a seaman recruit, Kim graduated BUD/S class 247 and was assigned to SEAL Team 3 with the rating Special Warfare Operator. He deployed twice to the Middle East and participated in over 100 combat missions as a combat medic, sniper, navigator, and point man. During his tenure with the SEALs, Kim served with PO2s Marc Alan Lee and Michael A. Monsoor. Kim was accepted for commissioning in 2009; when he graduated from the University of San Diego in 2012 and left the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, Kim entered the Medical Corps.
Kim is a recipient of a Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal (with Combat “V”), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with Combat “V”), and Combat Action Ribbon. As of January 2020, he was on active duty with the Navy Reserve at the rank of lieutenant. According to Jocko Willink, Kim’s Silver Star was awarded for rescuing multiple wounded Iraqi soldiers in the face of enemy fire.
NASA
Astronaut Group 22 with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (2018). Kim is visible in the upper left corner.
While studying at Harvard Medical School, Kim met and was inspired by astronaut–physician Scott E. Parazynski to apply for Astronaut Candidacy. On June 7, 2017, Kim was one of twelve candidates chosen from a pool of over 18,300 applicants to join NASA Astronaut Group 22. He reported for duty on 21 August 2017, and graduated from training on 10 January 2020. According to NASA, Kim will work in the Astronaut Office while awaiting a flight assignment. On 9 December 2020, NASA formally announced that Kim would join 17 other astronauts in training for a 2024 Moon landing.