As a result of the destruction caused by terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. on September 11, some of the best and brightest of second-generation Korean Americans in the financial services, insurance and information technology industries are missing and presumed dead.

Pamela Chu, an executive at top U.S. brokerage Cantor Fitzgerald, whose office was located on the 104th floor of the World Trade Center, is not accounted for since she left for work early in the morning on the day of attack. Chu, who immigrated to the States in 1972 at the age of two, majored in Psychology and Sociology at the State University of New York. Recently, the 31 year-old Chu was promoted to a manager at Cantor Fitzerald.

31 year-old Stuart Lee, president of Data CMs, a software manufacturer, was attending a conference held on 106th floor of the World Trade Center when a jetliner crashed into the building. A Cornell graduate, Lee immigrated to the States when he was seven, and established a venture IT company after years in Goldman Saches.

A 42 year-old CPA, Lee Myeong-u was working at the New York State Government's office on the 86th floor. Lee graduated from college in Korea and immigrated to America in his thirties. Lee has been working as an auditor for the state government for the year.

Lee Hyeon-jun, a Queens College graduate and a CPA, was also working for the state government's bureau of audits. Newly married in March, Lee was an active volunteer worker and a devout Catholic.

The whereabouts of two Korean financial experts are not yet confirmed. Andy Kim, a 28 year-old Columbia graduate, was an analyst at Fred Alger Management Investment on the 93rd floor and 42 year-old Fred Han was a senior vice president at Cantor Investment Bank. Jeong Jae-yong, floor manager of the Korean Association of New York says that some of the most accomplished members of the Korean community are missing and he hopes their safety is confirmed soon.

While Consulate General estimated the missing number of Koreans to be 15, local Korean media and organizations insisted that the victims would be at least 50 and as many as 100, since large numbers of second generation Koreans were working at financial and IT companies in the WTC and some 70 Korean-owned shops are in the area.

(Shin Dong-heun, dhshin@chosun.com )