Jay Kim
Encyclopedia
Chang-jun "Jay" Kim (born March 27, 1939) is a former politician from California
.
, South Korea
. During the Korean War
, his home was destroyed. He immigrated to the United States
in 1961, where he graduated from Cal State LA and University of Southern California
, earning degrees in civil engineering. Kim was elected to the city council of Diamond Bar
, a newly incorporated suburb of Los Angeles
, in 1990 and was mayor
the next year. He was elected to the House of Representatives
in 1992 as a Republican from the newly-created 41st District, making him the first Korean American
elected to the United States Congress
, as well as the first Korean to be elected to a national political office outside Korea.
Kim came under scrutiny for campaign donations, eventually pleading guilty to accepting $230,000 in illegal donations, including one-third of all donations to his 1992 campaign, and was sentenced to two months of house arrest. At the time, it was a record for campaign violations. He kept his seat but lost the primary election in 1998 to Gary Miller
, with whom he had once served on the Diamond Bar city council. Miller won the general election and still holds the seat.
Kim failed in his bid to win election in the 42nd District in 2000 after he was defeated in the primary by Elia Pirozzi, who in turn was defeated by incumbent Joe Baca
.
Kim earned both bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering from the University of Southern California
. He later earned a doctorate in political science from HanYang University. In 1976, Kim started JAYKIM Engineers, a firm that specializes in designing highways and water reclamation projects. He built the business into a firm of 130 employees, with offices in three Western states. Kim is an award winning engineer, registered in five Western states, and JAYKIM Engineers was recognized as one of the top 500 design firms in the country. Prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kim held public office as a member of the Diamond Bar City Council. Kim was elected mayor of Diamond Bar in 1991.
Kim contributes articles to The Korea Times
, is the Chairman of the Washington American Korean Forum, and is the honorary Ambassador of Gyeonggi Province.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Biography
Kim was born in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, 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...
. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, his home was destroyed. He immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1961, where he graduated from Cal State LA and University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, earning degrees in civil engineering. Kim was elected to the city council of Diamond Bar
Diamond Bar, California
Diamond Bar is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 55,544 at the 2010 census, down from 56,287 at the 2000 census. It is named after the "diamond over a bar" branding iron registered in 1918 by ranch owner Frederick E...
, a newly incorporated suburb of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in 1990 and was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
the next year. He was elected to the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1992 as a Republican from the newly-created 41st District, making him the first Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
elected to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, as well as the first Korean to be elected to a national political office outside Korea.
Kim came under scrutiny for campaign donations, eventually pleading guilty to accepting $230,000 in illegal donations, including one-third of all donations to his 1992 campaign, and was sentenced to two months of house arrest. At the time, it was a record for campaign violations. He kept his seat but lost the primary election in 1998 to Gary Miller
Gary Miller
Gary Gene Miller is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 41st, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, with whom he had once served on the Diamond Bar city council. Miller won the general election and still holds the seat.
Kim failed in his bid to win election in the 42nd District in 2000 after he was defeated in the primary by Elia Pirozzi, who in turn was defeated by incumbent Joe Baca
Joe Baca
Joseph N. "Joe" Baca is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 42nd from 1999 to 2003, is located in southwestern San Bernardino County and includes Fontana, Rialto, Ontario and parts of the city of San...
.
Kim earned both bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He later earned a doctorate in political science from HanYang University. In 1976, Kim started JAYKIM Engineers, a firm that specializes in designing highways and water reclamation projects. He built the business into a firm of 130 employees, with offices in three Western states. Kim is an award winning engineer, registered in five Western states, and JAYKIM Engineers was recognized as one of the top 500 design firms in the country. Prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kim held public office as a member of the Diamond Bar City Council. Kim was elected mayor of Diamond Bar in 1991.
Kim contributes articles to The Korea Times
The Korea Times
The Korea Times is the oldest of three English-language newspapers published daily in South Korea, along with The Korea Herald and The JoongAng Daily. It is part of the same newspaper group as Hankook Ilbo, a major Korean language daily...
, is the Chairman of the Washington American Korean Forum, and is the honorary Ambassador of Gyeonggi Province.
External links
- Text of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs report on Jay Kim's improper activities. March 10, 1998.
- House Ethics Committee reports on Jay Kim's improper activities: http://ethics.house.gov/Investigations/Default.aspx?Section=39 http://ethics.house.gov/Investigations/Default.aspx?Section=41; and the text of Jay Kim's response to the "statement of alleged violation" http://ethics.house.gov/Investigations/Default.aspx?Section=42. (Retrieved on 2008-12-29)
- Profile of campaign contributions at Opensecrets.org.
- "Kim Pleads Guilty to Illegal Donations", Asian Week, August 1998.
- "Jay Kim Couldn't Hide: Should He Run?", Asian Week, March 1998.
- "Just the Tip of the Iceberg", Mac MacArthur, December 19, 1997.