Chinese and Korean supporters gathered for a campaign rally on the evening of May 28 to support Kenneth Paek, a Korean-American Republican candidate running for State Assembly in the 25th District.
There are two challengers running against the incumbent State Assembly member Nily Rozic in the 25th District – Kenneth Paek, a Korean-American, and Kenneth Chiu, a Chinese-American, both from the Republican Party. Steven Wang, a Chinese-American candidate who initially announced his candidacy for the State Assembly seat in the 25th District, officially withdrew from the race on the 28th and declared his support for Kenneth Paek.
The Republican primary will take place on June 25, with early voting starting from June 15 for a consecutive 9 days, setting the stage for a competition between Paek and Chiu.
Steven Wang stated, “Kenneth Paek, who served in the U.S. Navy and worked as an officer in the New York City Police Department, is a true Republican candidate who can address many issues facing New York.” He added, “I believe that many Chinese-American Republican voters will support Mr. Paek because he embodies the Republican values the most.”
Having served in the navy for 4 years, Kenneth Paek later worked as a police officer in the New York City Police Department. He mentioned that starting as a grassroots police officer, he dedicated his life to the job and always went the extra mile to help those in need. He expressed concerns about the current societal disorder, worsening public safety, and the challenges law enforcement faces in carrying out their duties due to existing laws and policies. Therefore, he aims to push for changes to the current cashless bail system.
Support for Kenneth Paek was shown by prominent figures like 100-year-old chairman Ren Jiongbin of the New York Korean-American Filial Piety Association, Christine Colligan, chair of the Korean Parents Association of New York, Zheng Shengguo, president of the Korean Ethnic Association, and the “Guardian Angels.”
The 25th District of the State Assembly includes parts of Flushing, Queensboro Hill, Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, and Bayside.