Steve Kang, Director of External Affairs at the Korean Youth and Community Center (KYCC), has been appointed to a high-ranking position in the Los Angeles city government. According to the LA City Clerk’s Office, Mayor Karen Bass nominated Kang as Commissioner of the LA Board of Public Works on the 11th.

Kang’s term as Commissioner of the Board of Public Works will extend until June 2025, pending approval by the LA City Council, which is expected to proceed smoothly within the next month. Currently serving as a Commissioner on the LA Central Area Planning Commission, he will step down from that position, essentially receiving a promotion to a higher post.

The Board of Public Works is comprised of five commissioners, who are appointed with consideration for racial diversity. Kang was selected to represent the Asian American community. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am thankful to Mayor Bass for entrusting me with this important role and to the Korean community for their support. I will do my utmost to contribute to the further development of both LA and Koreatown.”

There are many types of commissioners in LA, most of which are unpaid positions. However, Public Works commissioners are full-time, salaried positions with six-figure incomes. The Board of Public Works is responsible for overseeing LA’s entire infrastructure through its Public Works department, which includes the Bureau of Contract Administration, Bureau of Engineering, Bureau of Sanitation, Bureau of Street Lighting, and Bureau of Street Services. The department employs more than 5,500 people with an annual budget of $1 billion.

Kang, a graduate of Columbia University with a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, has been actively representing the Korean American community in both the political and public spheres, serving as Senior Vice President of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles and as Chairman of the Korean American Democratic Committee. Recently, he was considered a potential candidate for the next President of the Korean American Federation, but with his nomination to the LA Public Works Commission, it is likely that he will not run for that position.

By Han Hyung-Seok

<Hyungseok Han>