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“Koreans need a united voice”

February 7, 2014

Sam Yoon is now working to give Korean Americans a united voice. (Lee Woo-su)

“Koreans need a united voice.”

The Council of Korean Americans’ general meeting in Los Angeles will be held May 17.

Sam Yoon, 44, was appointed as the president of CKA in 2012, and says the council’s goal is to facilitate a cooperative relationship between Korean political and social organizations across all regions of the United States.

He said the council was formed in 2010 to help give rise to the voices of 1.5 and second-generation Korean Americans in politics. The organization seeks to relay Koreans’ views on immigration reform, health insurance reform, and North Korean policy to lawmakers.

According to Yoon, CKA began with 12 members and is now comprised of 52 professionals in different fields. Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Yang, Survivor winner Kwon Yul and Lim Ruger representative John Lim are among its members.

Yoon, whose Korean name is Sang-hyun, was born in Korea, and is known to be the first Asian American to hold elected office in Boston. He was elected into Boston City Council back in 2005, and also served as the executive director for the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations in Washington, DC.

As the CKA president, he successfully led efforts to receive an apology from the National Transportation Safety Board after the crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214 last year, which resulted in three deaths.