James Kim

This article is about the CNET reporter. For the Korean guitar player, see Kim Se Hwang.

File:James kim.jpg

James Kim's CNET Photo

James Kim (born August 9, 1971) is a Korean American technology analyst currently working for CNET. He runs a gadget blog called Crave with Veronica Belmont. In the past he has also spent time in front of the camera for the former TechTV television network, in particular The Screen Savers as a host for Call for Help and Fresh Gear.

James and his wife Kati own two retail stores in San Francisco -- Doe, which is a boutique clothing store, and the Church Street Apothecary.

Disappearance

The Kim family, while traveling home from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco, California on November 25, 2006, became stuck in snow on a rarely-traveled road in southwest Oregon between Grants Pass and Gold Beach. They were reported missing on November 30, 2006.

Search and rescue teams looked for the family along the many coastal highways from Southern Oregon's Curry County to Roseburg, Oregon in Douglas County, as it was found that the family used their credit card at a Denny's in the area. The Kims' friends, many in the technology and entertainment industries, raised public awareness of the disappearance and requested help finding the family.

They survived for multiple days in their car, keeping it warm by running the engine. When the 2005 Saab 9-2X station wagon ran out of gas, they began burning the car tires. On the morning of December 2, James set out to look for help, wearing tennis shoes, a windbreaker, and light clothing. He promised to turn back at 1 p.m. if he failed to find anyone, but never returned.

Kati Kim and her two children were found alive by a private helicopter on December 4, 2006. Kati was waving an umbrella in order to attract the attention of the copter. The three were airlifted out of the area and transferred by AMR ambulance to Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass.

James had not yet been found as of December 5, 2006. Footprints in the snow suggest that he has traveled as far as 5 miles from where his family was found. Trackers continue to trace his path, and State Police Lieutenant Doug Ladd has stated that there is a good possibility he is still alive.

Trackers looking for James Kim have found two items of clothing, one of them an extra pair of pants Kim was carrying when he left his car in search of help.

GeoEye, a satellite-imagery corporation, is rerouting one of its satellites to fly over the Oregon wilderness where rescue crews search for James Kim. Its Ikonos satellite will fly over the Western seaboard at about 10:30 a.m. PT December 6 at a distance from the Earth of about 423 miles. The satellite could record images of an area as large as 2,000 square kilometers.

At a Press conference on Wednesday, December 6, 2006, Oregon search and rescue officials said that the previous day, they had discovered a "hot-spot" using thermal imaging technology. When rescuers investigated the "hot-spot", they found two gray long-sleeve shirts, a red short-sleeve t-shirt, one wool sock, a girl's blue skirt, and pieces of an Oregon state map. The items were later positively identified by the Kim family as items James took with him when he was last seen. Of the items, Oregon officials said "These were placed with our belief that little signs are being left by James for anyone that may be trying to find him so that they can continue into the area that he's continuing to move in."

On December 6, 2006, KTVU reported that a man had been sighted lying face down. Rescuers are attempting to reach the man, in order to ascertain whether it is in fact James Kim and whether the man is alive.[1]

External links

• Missing person report
• Crave Gadget Blog
• Recent report about the search
• Site created by friends of the Kim family
• Mother and children found alive.
• Press Conference Video, December 4, 2006
• Google Map of area
• Satellite re-routed
• CNET news: Searching for James Kim: News updates as they arrive