Kim, Young, 1962-

<p>Young Oak Kim (née Choe, Korean: 최영옥; born October 18, 1962) is a Korean-born American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for California's 39th congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, her district includes northern parts of Orange County. In the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections, Kim, along with Michelle Park Steel (R-CA) and Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), became one of the first three Korean-American women ever elected to the United States Congress. Kim and Steel are also the first Korean-Americans elected to Congress from California since Jay Kim.</p>

<p>Kim previously served as the California State Assemblywoman for the 65th district from 2014 to 2016, defeating the incumbent Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva in 2014. Kim went on to lose the seat in a rematch with Quirk-Silva in 2016. Kim was the first Korean-American Republican woman elected to the California State Legislature.</p>

<p>In 2018, Kim was the Republican Party candidate in California's 39th congressional district; she was defeated by Democrat Gil Cisneros in the general election. In 2020, Kim and Cisneros faced off again, and Kim defeated Cisneros. Along with Michelle Steel and David Valadao, Kim became one of the first Republican congressional candidates to unseat an incumbent House Democrat in California since 1994.</p>

<p>Congresswoman Young Kim is proud to represent California’s 39th District, which includes parts of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties, in the U.S. House of Representatives.</p>

<p>An immigrant, small business owner, community leader, and mother, Young is proud to be one of the first Korean-American women ever to serve in Congress and help all Americans have the chance to achieve their dream just like she did.</p>

<p>As an immigrant to the United States, Young has dedicated her life to giving back to her community. She started her public service as Director of Community Relations and Asian Affairs for former Congressman Ed Royce (CA-39), where she was a key liaison to 39th District and advisor on issues pertaining to the Asian-American community and foreign policy.</p>

KIM, Young, a Representative from California; born in Incheon, South Korea, October 18, 1962; B.B.A., University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif., 1985; business owner; financial analyst; staff, United States Representative Ed Royce of California, 1993-2013; member of the California state assembly, 2014-2016; unsuccessful candidate for election to the California state assembly in 2016; unsuccessful candidate for election to the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress in 2018; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress (January 3, 2021-present).

<p><b>Education</b></p>
<p>University of Southern California Marshall School of Business - Bachelor's (1981-1985)</p>
<p>St. Andrew's Priory School (Honolulu, Hawaii) - High school diploma (1981)</p>