Building Connections and Empowering Leaders. This month, the Council of Korean Americans (CKA) has been engaged in meaningful events and initiatives that exemplify our core values: Amplify Voice, Build Community, Celebrate Identity, and Develop Leaders.
We commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice with a heartfelt National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Reception on Capitol Hill, expressing gratitude to Korean War veterans worldwide and fostering hope for peace on the Peninsula.
In Atlanta, the CKA Members & Family Cookout brought together Korean Americans for a day of celebration and connection, strengthening bonds within the thriving local Korean American community in Georgia.
The NetKAL XII Fellowship reconnected in New York and empowered this year’s Cohort with valuable leadership skills and networking opportunities, ensuring a positive impact in their respective communities. Meanwhile, this year’s Emerging Leaders Scholars also met up in New York for an enriching experience that included an all-day training session with distinguished Korean American leaders.
Next month, let us continue building connections and empowering leaders, as we forge a path towards a stronger and united community.
On July 27, 2023, CKA Member Jean H. Lee had the unique opportunity to testify before Congress as a witness during an open hearing of the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, which is part of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The hearing, titled “Illicit IT: Bankrolling Kim Jong Un,” focused on crucial matters related to North Korea and its impact on global affairs.
Jean H. Lee is a prominent journalist and former Pyongyang Bureau Chief for the Associated Press. Her extensive knowledge of the Korean Peninsula and her exceptional reporting skills have earned her respect and recognition in the field of journalism and foreign affairs. Throughout her career, Jean has been dedicated to shedding light on the complexities and nuances of North Korea, an area often shrouded in secrecy and mystery. Her insightful reporting has provided the world with invaluable insights into one of the most isolated and enigmatic nations on earth.
Jean’s involvement in this hearing exemplifies her dedication to promoting peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the wider Asia-Pacific region. We are proud to have Jean as a member of the Council of Korean American and look forward to witnessing her continued accomplishments and endeavors.
Source: FiscalNote
Tim Hwang Named Entrepreneur of the Year
Tim Hwang, CEO and Founder of FiscalNote, was recently named as a winner of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 Mid-Atlantic Award. Read more here.
Also, FiscalNote recently announced their partnership with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they will work to provide AI-powered policy and data intelligence, legislative and regulatory monitoring.
Source: Best of Korea
Dow Kim Publishes Article on Art Collection
Dow Kim, President of the Dow Kim Family Foundation, recently published an article in Best of Korea to share his knowledge about how to get started in collecting art and to encourage Korean Americans to pursue their own journeys in collecting original works. Read the article here.
Source: Korea Times
Michael Yang Rides Motorcycle from LA to Alaska
Michael Yang, Founder & CEO of Michael Yang Capital Management, LLC, recently rode a motorcycle from Los Angeles, California, to the northernmost tip of Alaska to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance. Read more here [Korean version].
Nadia Kim begins new position at Texas A&M University
Nadia Kim recently took a new position with Texas A&M University, as the Professor of Sociology. Congratulations, Nadia!
Juliet K. Choi Joins NCAPA Executive Committee
Juliet K. Choi, CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF), was recently selected as National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)’s Executive Committee Member. Congratulations, Juliet!
Hosea Chang Selected to Co-Chair the Duke Asian Alumni Alliance
Hosea Chang, Chief Operating Officer at Hayden Global, was recently selected to co-chair the Duke Asian Alumni Alliance and the Duke Alumni Board. Congratulations, Hosea!
Source: City Club of Eugene
Jenny Jonak Sworn into Eugene 4J School Board
Jenny Jonak, Founder and Principal of Jonak Law Group, P.C., was recently elected Vice-Chair and sworn in to the Eugene 4J School Board. Congratulations, Jenny!
Eunice Song Appointed to the East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission
Eunice Hur Song, Executive Director at Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles, was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, to the East Los Angeles
Area Planning Commission. Read more here [Korean Version].
Source: Orange Coast Magazine
L. Song Richardson Quoted in New York Times
L. Song Richardson, President of Colorado College, was recently quoted in the New York Times article, What to Know About College Admissions Now That Affirmative Action Is Gone.
Charles Jung Quoted in USA Today
In the article, No longer suffering in silence: Asian Americans denied tech leadership roles go to court, attorney Charles Jung, Principal at Nassiri & Jung LLP, spoke on the importance of Asian Americans in the tech industry.
Source: Brookings Institution
Andrew Yeo Publishes Article titled “Can South Korea Trust the United States?”
Andrew Yeo, Senior Fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair at Brookings Institution’s Center for East Asia Policy Studies, recently published an article in The Washington Quarterly: “Can South Korea Trust the United States?” Read the article here.
Suzanne Yoon Selected to Speak at Women’s Private Capital Summit Canada
Suzanne Yoon, Founder of Kinzie Capital, was recently selected to speak at the Women’s Private Capital Summit Canada, hosted by With Intelligence – Women’s Summits. For more information, read here.
Suzanne was also recently featured in Crain’s Chicago Business. Read more here.
Source: Hipower
Junna Ro Co-Chairs TechGC’s Integrity Summit
Junna Ro, Former General Counsel, Metromile, recently co-chaired TechGC’s inaugural Integrity Summit, which covered topics including: Advancing Justice: The Power and Potential of In-House Pro Bono Work for GCs, Ethical Considerations in AI, and GC PostSecret, during which seasoned general counsel spoke on navigating ethical challenges.
David Choi Hosts Ascend Conference Minority Entrepreneurs
David Choi, Conrad N. Hilton Professor of Entrepreneurship at Loyola Marymount University, recently hosted Ascend Cities’ national conference. Ascend is a national program to support minority entrepreneurs in growing their businesses. The 3-day conference welcomed more than 150 program leaders from ~15 cities who came together to share best practices and hear from entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and corporate executives.
Source: Christianity Today
Eugene Cho Appears on Podcast to talk about World Hunger
Bread for the World President & CEO, Eugene Cho, was featured on the Human Hope podcast with Carlos Whittaker on How We Can SEE Humans and Help End Hunger Around the World. Listen here.
Source: The National Committee on North Korea
Frank Aum Publishes in the Washington Post
Frank Aum, the senior expert on Northeast Asia at the US Institute of Peace, recently published an opinion in the Washington Post on “Why the U.S. should offer concessions to North Korea”.
David S. Kim Appears on Podcast
Transportation Executive with WSP USA, David S. Kim, recently spoke on the Transit Unplugged podcast, hosted by Paul Comfort, about the future of transportation funding. Listen here.
On July 27, CKA held a special event on Capitol Hill to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. The evening was filled with touching performances, including a performance by the Korean School of New Jersey Children’s Choir and cultural performances by the Pumassi Foundation. Esteemed Members of Congress, such as Rep. Andy Kim, Rep. Young Kim, Rep. Mark Takano, and Rep. Josh Gottheiimer delivered heartfelt remarks, and special recognition was given to veterans, who were presented with AMBASSADOR OF PEACE Medals by the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador, Cho Hyundong. The event concluded with a moving candlelighting ceremony, symbolizing hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Honorary co-hosts for the night were Korean American Members of Congress, Reps. Young Kim, Andy Kim, Michelle Steel, and Marilyn Strickland. Overall, the event was a united effort to remember the Korean War and honor the sacrifices made by veterans.
This event was made possible by the joint efforts of CKA, Korean American Grassroots Conference (KAGC), the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), and Remember727, with support from the Judith Ehm Foundation and other foundations
July was a month of vibrant community engagement for CKA Executive Director Abraham Kim. He began in Atlanta, Georgia, joining the CKA Members & Family Cookout hosted by CKA Member Sunny Park. The event celebrated Korean American connections and community building with one of the most dynamic and fastest growing Korean American communities in the U.S.
In Los Angeles, California, Abe attended the West Coast Membership Meeting hosted by CKA Board Chair Peter Huh and CKA Member Jihee Huh. The exclusive CKA Members Reception featured a Keynote Address and Fireside Chat with Neil G. Ruiz, the Head of New Research Initiatives at Pew Research Center, who shared information on the now-released report titled “Most Asian Americans View Their Ancestral Homelands Favorably, Except Chinese Americans”.
In Washington, D.C., Abe commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice by attending our National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day Reception on Capitol Hill, as well as the 70th Commemoration Ceremony of the Korean Armistice Agreement held at the Korean War Veterans War Memorial.
CKA’s dedication to fostering connections and celebrating the community continues to support our frontline community leaders and raise up Korean American voices in different regions of the United States. Stay tuned for more updates on his endeavors as he leads and engages with our dynamic CKA network.