Korean American community leaders endorse Ellen Park, Haider in primary

A group of Korean American leaders in New Jersey endorsed Assemblywomen Ellen Park (D-Englewood Cliffs) and Shama Haider (D-Tenafly) in their primary campaigns against a pair of challengers, including Tenafly Councilman Dan Park, who is also Korean American.

Ellen Park and Haider are both seeking third terms representing the 37th legislative district this year but face primary challenges from candidates backed by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, an anti-establishment gubernatorial candidate who is fielding Assembly tickets throughout the state.

The endorsers include Adrian Lee, the president of the Korean American Association of New Jersey, and Anne Y. Kim-Cha, the president of the Korean American Senior Citizens Association of New Jersey.

“Assemblywomen Park and Haider show up every day for our families and communities – proving time and again that their leadership is about real representation, not symbolic gestures,” the leaders wrote in a statement. “Whether supporting language accessibility in state services, addressing inclusivity in education, advocating for community-based organizations, or championing policies that empower immigrant families, they have consistently been there for us on issues both big and small.”

The leaders targeted Dan Park, accusing him of putting his ambitions ahead of the interests of the state’s Korean American community.

“As Korean Americans leaders we are equally disappointed by the actions of Dan Park, whose personal and political ambitions undercut the progress and influence of Korean Americans in the state and county,” they wrote. “There is no honor in pitting members of the community against one another.”

Ellen Park told the New Jersey Globe last month that she’s prepared for the primary challenge against a challenger with the same name.

“I’ve been doing this for three, four years, and I feel like I’ve passed a lot of great legislation,” she told the New Jersey Globe.

Tamar Warburg, a Teaneck Democratic leader and general counsel of the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest NJ, is joining Dan Park in the race against Ellen Park and Haider.

The endorsers are listed below:

Adrian Lee (President, The Korean American Association of New Jersey); Anne Y. Kim-Cha (President, Korean American Senior Citizens Association of New Jersey); Chang Moo Lee (President-Elect, New York Association of Korean American Businesses, Inc); Soon Bum Hur (President, NYAKBI Korean American Trade Center); Mi Kyung Jasmine Je (President & Executive Director, Asian Women’s Christian Association); Ellen Jon (Executive Director, Asian American Youth Council); Michael Nam (Executive Director, Korean Community Center); Myoungmi Kim (President, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York); Kapsong Kim (Korean American Community Development Director, MinKwon Center for Community Action); Young Na Lee (Executive Director, Give Chances); John M. Sohn (President, Korean American Nail Association of New Jersey); Yongho Lee (President, The Cleaners Association of New Jersey); Yvonne Chung (Vice President, New Jersey Korean American Realtors Association); Aaron Hwang (President, Coalition of Meritorious Korean Vietnam War Veterans New Jersey)