Civibus

Biography

Young Oak Kim (née Choe (최;崔); Korean: 김영옥; Hanja: 金映玉; born October 18, 1962) is a South Korean–born American politician and businesswoman serving as the U.S. representative for California's 40th congressional district, previously representing the 39th congressional district from 2021 to 2023. Her district includes northern parts of Orange County. She is a member of the Republican Party. Prior to serving in Congress, Kim served in the California State Assemblywoman, representing the 65th district from 2014 to 2016, defeating the incumbent Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva in 2014. Kim lost the seat in a rematch with Quirk-Silva in 2016. Kim was the first South Korean-born Republican woman elected to the California State Legislature. Kim was first elected to Congress in 2020, defeating Democratic incumbent Gil Cisneros in a rematch. In the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections, Kim, Michelle Steel, and Marilyn Strickland became the first Korean-American women elected to the United States Congress. Along with Steel and David Valadao, Kim was among the first three Republican candidates to unseat an incumbent House Democrat in California since 1994.

Biography source Licensed (CC BY-SA)