Mayor Sukhee Kang was first elected to the Irvine City Council in 2004 and was successfully re-elected in 2006. With his 2008 election, he became the first Korean-American to serve as Mayor of a major U.S. city. Born and raised in South Korea, Mayor Kang and his wife Joanne immigrated to the United States in 1977 after his graduation from Korea University in Seoul.

Mayor Kang has extensive business experience, beginning his professional career with Circuit City Store sales and customer service. He was quickly promoted to senior management positions and earned recognition for his service-oriented philosophy, ultimately receiving the company’s highest honor — induction into the “Colonel’s Club,” recognizing his dedication and service to the company and its customers. 

The father of two adult children, Mayor Kang has dedicated his time to his family, his work and service to the community. His efforts on behalf of the Korean-American community, including his past service as Chairman of the Korean American Coalition Orange County and President of the Korean American Scholarship Foundation, provided an introduction to community leadership that would ultimately inspire him to run for the Irvine City Council.

Mayor Kang’s own American success story has helped shape his inclusive and engaging leadership style. Active throughout the Irvine community, he has forged strong and supportive relationships with the business community, education community and many cultural, service and non-profit organizations that serve the citizens of Irvine. An advocate for the interests of all residents, he has demonstrated his ability to “listen, learn and respond” by walking door to door throughout Irvine, engaging in “doorstep dialogues” with Irvine residents, then working diligently to respond to their interests and concerns.

Mayor Kang was recently honored for his community leadership and citizenship by the Carnegie Corporation of New York which salutes immigrants who have made significant contributions to the country for its annual “Immigrants:  The Pride of America” designation and named as one of OC METRO Magazine’s Hot 25 Professionals in Orange County.

Prior to his service on the Irvine City Council, Mayor Kang served as a Governor’s appointee on the California Workforce Investment Board and was the Mayor’s appointee to the Irvine Finance Commission. In addition to his official City responsibilities, Mayor Kang serves on the Orange County Great Park Board, Orange County Fire Authority, Southern California Association of Governments Regional Council, Orange County Council of Governments, League of California Cities Orange County Division, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities. 

Mayor Kang and his wife are residents of Northpark Square. Their son, Alan, a graduate of UC San Diego, is a Research Scientist at Johnson & Johnson and is currently earning his MBA from the University of Southern California; their daughter, Angie, a graduate from UC Berkeley’s School of Law (Boalt Hall), is currently an attorney with Latham and Watkins.