Kook Jin Moon
Encyclopedia
Moon Kook-Jin, also known as Justin Moon, (born July 17, 1970) is a firearms designer and businessman. He owns and operates Kahr Arms
, a U.S. small arms manufacturing company and subsidiary of Saeilo, a company controlled by his father, Sun Myung Moon
(founder of the Unification Church
). He is the chairman of the Tongil Group
a South Korean business group which supports Unification Church projects.
and Hak Ja Han
. He was born in South Korea
, and in 1973 moved to the United States, to Tarrytown, New York
, with his family. The environment in which he was raised has been described as "lavish" and as one of "luxury and privilege," though he disputes this. He attended Hackley School
, a small private school in Tarrytown.
At age 18, Moon got a license to carry a handgun, co-signed by one of his older brothers, but he wasn't satisfied with the small caliber available in a compact handgun. "I had been licensed to carry in New York State since I was 18 and had looked for an ultra-compact 9 mm. pistol," Justin later told American Handgunner magazine. "To my chagrin, I could not find a pistol with the quality of construction and features in design which I felt were appropriate for a carry gun. Therefore, I decided to design an ultra-compact 9 mm. pistol that I could carry." By his junior year of college, he decided to design one himself.
"I spent the summer and much of my senior year designing the mechanical layout of the pistol and prototyping various design concepts," he told Handgunner.
He received a B.A. from Harvard University
in economics in 1992.
Moon designed the original Kahr pistol himself.
According to journalist Christopher Stewart, writing in Conde Nast Potfolio, Kahr Arms and other Unification Church affiliated businesses are "presumably intended to sustain and defend his [Sun Myung Moon's] followers when the world as we know it ends."
, .40 S&W
and .45 ACP
. Kahr pistols feature polymer or stainless steel frames, single-stack magazines
, and double-action striker firing actions. Its headquarters is in Blauvelt, New York
and it has a manufacturing facility in Worcester, Massachusetts
.
In 1999, Kahr Arms bought Auto-Ordnance Corp., the maker of Thompson submachine gun
s. Now Kahr manufactures Auto-Ordnance's line of semi-automatic weapons, including a long-barreled, semi-automatic version of the famous "Tommy Gun". The Auto-Ordnance Corporation that Kahr Arms purchased was not the original Auto Ordnance started by General John T. Thompson
and his investors.
In 1994 the U.S. federal government banned manufacture and importation of pistol magazines with more than a 10-round capacity. These were the so called "hi-capacity" magazines, which again became legal to manufacture and import in most states in September 2004, after the relevant federal law expired. This change in federal law rendered many staggered-magazine pistol models (commonly with magazine capacities of 15 or more rounds) less popular in the American market. They were now overly large in light of their newly mandated 10-shot limit.
, a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church. As of 2010 he is in the process of reforming its businesses by hiring new managers and by closing unprofitable operations. Among Tongil Group’s chief holdings are: The Ilwha Company, which produces ginseng
and related products; Ilshin Stone, building materials; Tongil Heavy Industries, machine parts including hardware for the South Korean military; and Segye Ilbo, newspaper. It funds the Tongil Foundation which supports Unification Church projects including schools and the Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea.
Kahr Arms
Kahr Arms is an American small arms manufacturer founded by Kook Jin "Justin" Moon , who currently serves as CEO and President. It is owned by the Saeilo Corporation , a subsidiary of Tongil Group, a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church...
, a U.S. small arms manufacturing company and subsidiary of Saeilo, a company controlled by his father, Sun Myung Moon
Sun Myung Moon
Sun Myung Moon is the Korean founder and leader of the worldwide Unification Church. He is also the founder of many other organizations and projects...
(founder of the Unification Church
Unification Church
The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church...
). He is the chairman of the Tongil Group
Tongil Group
Tongil Group is a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church. It was founded in 1963 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon as a nonprofit organization which would provide revenue for the church...
a South Korean business group which supports Unification Church projects.
Early life
Moon is the fourth son of Unification Church leaders Sun Myung MoonSun Myung Moon
Sun Myung Moon is the Korean founder and leader of the worldwide Unification Church. He is also the founder of many other organizations and projects...
and Hak Ja Han
Hak Ja Han
Hak Ja Han or Hakja Han Moon is an influential member of the Unification Church and the wife of the church's founder, Sun Myung Moon. They married in April 1960 and have 13 children and 20 grandchildren...
. He was born in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and in 1973 moved to the United States, to Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
, with his family. The environment in which he was raised has been described as "lavish" and as one of "luxury and privilege," though he disputes this. He attended Hackley School
Hackley School
Hackley School is a private college preparatory school located in Tarrytown, New York and is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League. Founded in 1899 by wealthy philanthropist Mrs. Caleb Brewster Hackley, Hackley was intended to be a Unitarian alternative to the mostly Episcopal boarding...
, a small private school in Tarrytown.
Early interest in firearms
Moon, who later took the first name Justin, recounts his early interest in firearms:
My first experience shooting was with my older brother when I was 14. He also liked guns and took me shooting with friends and family. We would have a great time setting up and shooting targets with an assortment of firearms. Ever since that first shooting experience, I continued to pursue my interest in firearms.
At age 18, Moon got a license to carry a handgun, co-signed by one of his older brothers, but he wasn't satisfied with the small caliber available in a compact handgun. "I had been licensed to carry in New York State since I was 18 and had looked for an ultra-compact 9 mm. pistol," Justin later told American Handgunner magazine. "To my chagrin, I could not find a pistol with the quality of construction and features in design which I felt were appropriate for a carry gun. Therefore, I decided to design an ultra-compact 9 mm. pistol that I could carry." By his junior year of college, he decided to design one himself.
"I spent the summer and much of my senior year designing the mechanical layout of the pistol and prototyping various design concepts," he told Handgunner.
He received a B.A. from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in economics in 1992.
Founding Kahr Arms
In 1993, Moon founded Kahr Arms, choosing the name to be suggestive of two of his affections: German engineering and fast cars. “I wanted to create the ultimate line of concealable pistols,” he said. Kahr Arms is owned by the Saeilo Corporation, a subsidiary of the Unification Church International holding company. Moon reports that he borrowed money from his father to found the company.Moon designed the original Kahr pistol himself.
The design of Kahr’s line of pocket rockets is complicated, but basically it involves five patented methods of arranging the gun’s internal parts, reducing empty space and allowing the gun to contract in just the right places, while maintaining enough room for a larger-caliber bullet. Because of all the patents, it is difficult, if not impossible, for others to replicate its design.
According to journalist Christopher Stewart, writing in Conde Nast Potfolio, Kahr Arms and other Unification Church affiliated businesses are "presumably intended to sustain and defend his [Sun Myung Moon's] followers when the world as we know it ends."
Building the company
Kahr Arms specializes in compact and mid-size semi-automatic pistols chambered for popular cartridges including 9 mm Luger Parabellum9 mm Luger Parabellum
The 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge was designed by Georg Luger and introduced in 1902 by the German weapons manufacturer Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken for their Luger semi-automatic pistol...
, .40 S&W
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
and .45 ACP
.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
. Kahr pistols feature polymer or stainless steel frames, single-stack magazines
Magazine (firearm)
A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm. Magazines may be integral to the firearm or removable . The magazine functions by moving the cartridges stored in the magazine into a position where they may be loaded into the chamber by the action...
, and double-action striker firing actions. Its headquarters is in Blauvelt, New York
Blauvelt, New York
Blauvelt is a hamlet , formerly known as Greenbush and then Blauveltville, in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Tappan; east of Nauraushaun and Pearl River; south of Central Nyack and west of Orangeburg...
and it has a manufacturing facility in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
.
In 1999, Kahr Arms bought Auto-Ordnance Corp., the maker of Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun
The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...
s. Now Kahr manufactures Auto-Ordnance's line of semi-automatic weapons, including a long-barreled, semi-automatic version of the famous "Tommy Gun". The Auto-Ordnance Corporation that Kahr Arms purchased was not the original Auto Ordnance started by General John T. Thompson
John T. Thompson
John Taliaferro Thompson, , was a United States Army officer best remembered as the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun.-Early life:...
and his investors.
In 1994 the U.S. federal government banned manufacture and importation of pistol magazines with more than a 10-round capacity. These were the so called "hi-capacity" magazines, which again became legal to manufacture and import in most states in September 2004, after the relevant federal law expired. This change in federal law rendered many staggered-magazine pistol models (commonly with magazine capacities of 15 or more rounds) less popular in the American market. They were now overly large in light of their newly mandated 10-shot limit.
Chairman of Tongil Group
In 2005 Moon was appointed chairman of Tongil GroupTongil Group
Tongil Group is a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church. It was founded in 1963 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon as a nonprofit organization which would provide revenue for the church...
, a South Korean business group associated with the Unification Church. As of 2010 he is in the process of reforming its businesses by hiring new managers and by closing unprofitable operations. Among Tongil Group’s chief holdings are: The Ilwha Company, which produces ginseng
Ginseng
Ginseng is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae....
and related products; Ilshin Stone, building materials; Tongil Heavy Industries, machine parts including hardware for the South Korean military; and Segye Ilbo, newspaper. It funds the Tongil Foundation which supports Unification Church projects including schools and the Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea.