With about two months remaining before the March primary elections, the Korean-American candidates have formed the K-Team.
Korean-American candidates running for local offices in and around LA Koreatown have joined forces to improve their districts.
David Kim, who is running for the 34th Congressional District; Grace Yoo, running for the 10th LA City Council District; John Yi, vying for the 54th State Assembly District; and Ed Han, contesting the 44th State Assembly District, held a joint press conference on January 10 at Madang Mall in LA Koreatown to announce the formation of the K-Team.
The candidates are planning actions to boost voter engagement, as there’s been a decline in interest in the election following the recent economic downturn, resulting in low voter turnout. Additionally, they aim to address concerns relevant to the Korean-American community and, where appropriate, make collective promises. The biggest common concerns are crime, safety, infrastructure improvement, and housing affordability.
At the press conference, David Kim said, “In 2022, I came up short against the incumbent with 49% of the vote,” adding, “The 34th District and Koreatown are among the top 20 in poverty in the country, yet the incumbent politicians are taking corporate money and ignoring their constituents.”
“Vote-by-mail voting starts in early February, so the election is actually right around the corner,” said Grace Yoo. “I will work with the other candidates to make the district better by reflecting the concerns and worries of seniors in policy.”
“This is where my parents and family immigrated to in the 1970s, and my mom sold flowers in a parking lot and my dad worked as a gas station attendant to start their lives in America,” said John Yi. “Now it’s time for them to retire, but like many seniors, they are still struggling. We, Korean-American candidates, united to change our lives for the better.”
“There is a great need for someone to represent the Korean-American community in Sacramento,” said Ed Han. “We hope that the formation of the team will bring more attention to our candidates and encourage them to get out and vote.”
The K-Team plans to increase outreach to encourage Korean Americans to register and vote, and to organize visits to Korean-American senior-centered households, as part of a joint campaign.
BY BRIAN CHOI, JUNHAN PARK [ichoi@koreadaily.com]
