“Will Focus on Unity and Stronger Membership Support”
Los Angeles Korean American Chamber of Commerce elected Moon Chul Kwak as its 50th president following a contested election held Tuesday.
The election took place at the Oxford Palace Hotel in Koreatown, where chamber directors selected the organization’s next leadership team. Alongside Kwak, the newly elected executive officers include senior vice president Rick Kim of Home Shopping World, vice president Joanne Lee of Kaizen Dining Group, and vice president Jason Oh of Oshin Wellness.
A total of 121 board members participated in the vote. Kwak received 77 votes, or approximately 64% of the total, while opponent Hak Bong Yang received 43 votes. One ballot was recorded as an abstention.
Kwak, who currently serves as the chamber’s 49th board chairman, operates health supplement company GC Natural.
During the campaign, he promoted several initiatives, including building a more collaborative chamber, expanding practical business support for members, strengthening the women’s committee, supporting younger entrepreneurs and second-generation business owners, and improving advocacy for Korean American businesses.
Following his victory, Kwak said his experience serving as chairman over the past year convinced him that the chamber has significant untapped potential.
“I’ve learned that many of our directors have tremendous experience and professional expertise,” Kwak said. “One of my first goals will be creating a member business directory to strengthen mutual support among our members.”
Addressing concerns about possible divisions after the election, Kwak emphasized unity and reconciliation within the organization.
“I will do my best to strengthen unity and bring the organization together,” he said. “I plan to personally contact everyone who participated in the election, including former presidents, and ask for their cooperation.”
He added that a unified organization would naturally strengthen efforts to expand board membership, cooperate with other business organizations, and improve collaboration between generations within the Korean American community.
The new administration’s term officially begins July 1.
