Sukhee Kang

Candidate for City Council Member, Irvine, District 1 · Small Businessman/Educator

Sukhee Kang was born in Seoul, South Korea, and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Korea University; he later received an honorary doctorate in business administration from Dongseo University. He worked for 15 years in sales and customer service at Circuit City before turning to civic engagement after the 1992 Los Angeles riots, volunteering with the Korean American Scholarship Foundation and serving as president of the Korean American Democratic Committee. He was elected to the Irvine City Council in 2004, reelected in 2006, and then served two terms as Mayor of Irvine from 2008 to 2012, becoming the first Korean American to serve as mayor of a major American city. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2012 and for State Senate in 2016. He later served as Special Advisor to the UC Irvine Chancellor on Global Engagement, taught local politics as an adjunct professor at Chapman University, and was Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration from 2023 to 2025, overseeing federal building operations across the Pacific Rim, Northwest and Arctic regions. He is the author of the memoir 'The Power of Possibility -- My American Journey' (2013), and is the father of two adult children with three grandchildren.

Kang says he supports smart growth that reflects community input and diverse senior and family housing options, while preserving Irvine's status as what he calls the safest and healthiest city. He has positioned Irvine as a leader in sustainability through energy efficiency and conservation, and points to his record building partnerships with employers and small businesses to promote job creation and long-term investment. As what he calls the 'education mayor,' he invested city resources in schools and partnerships with local districts. On transportation, he cites having secured $121.3 million in Proposition 116 funding and wants to expand Irvine CONNECT and pursue additional road and transit funding. He frames his return to office around integrity and experienced leadership that listens to residents rather than 'politics as usual.'

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