I attended this past Saturday night’s IPSF Gala and arrived about the same time as Mayor Sukhee Kang and his wife did (and once I find my camera, I’ll post some fantastic photos). As the Mayor and his wife were walking in, Congressman John Campbell pulled into the parking lot and there was a courtesous wave between these two Congressional challengers.
The Mayor had just returned from a State Dinner at the White House honoring the new trade agreement between the United States and South Korea. He and his wife were among the few Californians that attended the dinner as the guest of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Details on the trade agreement can be found here. But the agreement will boost US Exports by about $13 billion a year.
It’s not surprising that Kang was invited. He is one of the highest ranked Korean-Americans who hold elective office and discussed the complexities of the agreement with guests who gathered to welcome the Mayor back from Washington. Kang holds rock star status in the Korean media for his accomplishments in political life. I teased him for not telling me about this event in advance.
And that wasn’t the only surprise trip made by an OC elected Democrat. Fullerton city council member Sharon Quirk-Silva posted this on her Facebook page today (I’ve edited slighted to correct some typos):
“We are home safe from a trip to Turkey and Iraq. On Saturday, in Instanbul, we met with a non-profit called, Kimse Yok Mu-which translates to”Is anybody there?” This humaitarian aid organization was formed after the earthquakes in 2002, in Turkey. It is a shock that after meeting with them, less than 24 hours later, an earthquake hits. This is an incredible group, like our Red Cross, that works all over the world to help those in need after disasters. They helped with Katrina. If you want to help, donate or volunteer you can get more info. at www.kimseyomu.org.tr “
Of course, last week, parts of Turkey were hit with an earthquake in excess of 7.0. So Quirk-Silva’s message to donate to a charity in a position to help victims of the latest Turkish earthquake is timely.