Korean American involvement in U.S. government and politics has grown significantly over the past several decades, reflecting both the growth of the Korean American population and their increasing civic engagement.

 

Some of the notable Korean Americans who have served in the U.S. government are Jay Kim, the first Korean American elected to Congress (R-CA, 1993-1999) and Sung Kim, a career diplomat who served both as a Ambassador to South Korea (2011-2014) and a Special Envoy for North Korea (2021-2023).

 

Currently, several Korean Americans have been elected to political office, marking major milestones in representation. Namely, these individuals include Andy Kim (D-NJ) elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, Young Kim (R-CA), one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress in 2020 and representing California's 40th district, and Michelle Steel (R-CA), elected in 2020 as one of the first Republican Korean American women in Congress.