Sukhee Kang, born in Korea, was just elected the mayor of Irvine, California. On Tuesday, Irvine voters elected the city’s first nonwhite mayor. Accpording to the LA Times, “Sukhee Kang, a Korean immigrant and city councilman, credits his success to knocking on 10,000 doors, building up his credibility through two City Council terms and amassing a multiethnic coalition of voters.”
Kang immigrated to Orange County at age 24. He was elected to the Irvine City Council in 2004 and won re-election in 2006.
Born and raised in South Korea, Sukhee and his wife Joanne came to the United States in 1977 after his graduation from Korea University in Seoul. Sukhee Kang began his professional career with Circuit City Stores sales and customer service. He was promoted to senior management positions and earned recognition for his service oriented philosophy. His efforts on behalf of the Korean American community, including his past service as Chairman of the Korean American Coalition Orange County and President of the Korean American Education Scholarship Foundation, provided an introduction to community leadership that would ultimately inspire Sukhee to run for the Irvine City Council.
Active throughout the Irvine community, Sukhee Kang has forged strong and supportive relationships with the business community, the education community and the many cultural, service and non-profit organizations that serve the citizens of Irvine.
Prior to his service on the Irvine City Council, Sukhee Kang served as a Governor’s appointee on the California Workforce Investment Board and was the Mayor’s appointee to the Irvine Finance Commission. As a City Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem, Sukhee served as a member of the Orange County Great Park Board, Orange County Sanitation District Board, Transportation Corridor Agency Board, Executive Steering Committee of the League of California Cities Orange County Division, and Orange County Transportation Authority Measure M Super Committee.
KJ