Sang-bong Jung has been elected president of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles (KACCLA), winning a contested race during the organization’s regular board meeting on May 20 at the Oxford Palace Hotel in Koreatown. The vote marked KACCLA’s first leadership election in 12 years.
Jung received 83 votes (65%), defeating opponent Gina Kim, who earned 43 votes. A total of 127 ballots were cast, including 60 absentee votes and 67 in-person votes. One ballot was declared invalid. The results were displayed in real time on a large screen to ensure transparency.
Both candidates delivered final pledges before the vote. Jung emphasized strengthening communication among board members, increasing participation from younger directors, and building a digital archive of chamber activities. Kim proposed launching an economic revitalization campaign with Korean American media and creating a YouTube studio at the chamber’s office to support content creation.
Leadership Transition and Vision for KACCLA
Jung is the CEO of logistics company MSFW and previously served as the chamber’s 41st board chair in 2017. His leadership team—Yoon-jae Park, Shawn Mo, and Mi-hyang Kim—will officially begin their terms on July 1.
In his acceptance speech, Jung cited George Choi, KACCLA’s founding president, stating, “I heard that George Choi worked with the mindset of paving a runway so the next generation could take off. I will carry that vision forward and lead KACCLA to become an even more distinguished organization.”
In a follow-up interview, Jung said he aims to make KACCLA a source of pride for Korean American business leaders in Los Angeles. “The most important thing is open and transparent communication among board members. That’s how we can boost engagement and grow as an organization,” he said.
Jung also emphasized outreach to the next generation of Korean American professionals. “Rather than asking them to follow the existing structure, we need to support the kinds of projects they care about,” he said, adding that the chamber plans to host regular intergenerational networking events.
Reflecting on the rare nature of the election, Jung stated, “There may have been some confusion since this was the first election in 12 years, but as president, my focus will be on living up to the hopes of those who supported us. We’ll work hard to make KACCLA a model for Korean American organizations across the country.”
BY WONHEE CHO [cho.wonhee@koreadaily.com]
