Jay Kim

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Chang-jun "Jay" Kim
김창준


Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 41st district
In office
1993-1999
Preceded by Bill Lowery
Succeeded by Gary Miller

Born March 27, 1939 (1939-03-27) (age 70)
Seoul, South Korea
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Current spouse Jennifer Ahn, former spouse June Kim

Chang-jun "Jay" Kim (Korean: 김창준, Hanja: 金昌準) (born March 27, 1939) is a politician from the U.S. state of California.

Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. During the Korean War, his home was destroyed. He immigrated to the United States in 1961 and is graduate of Cal State Los Angeles and the 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,[1] as well as the first Korean to be elected to a national political office outside Korea.[2]

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.[3] 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.

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United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Bill Lowery
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 41st congressional district

1993–1999
Succeeded by
Gary Miller
Languages