Flushing, New York – This Friday, Assemblymember Ron Kim, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development, was joined by Congressmember Grace Meng and Assemblymembers Nily Rozic and Edward Braunstein in celebrating the successful allocation of $4 million in state funding to build a Museum of Korea American Heritage in Queens. The project has been a long-cherished goal of the Korean American community in the greater New York area. Many community leaders have championed this important cause, including several presidents of the Korean American Association of Greater New York (KAAGNY).

One of those past presidents, Minsun Kim, will be leading the organization officially tasked with building and completing this project, the Museum of Korean American Heritage, Inc. (MOKAH, Inc.). She and the MOKAH board members and local community leaders who attended expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to Assemblymembers Kim, Braunstein, and Rozic for their critical support in securing this funding, and they thanked Congressmember Meng for her long-standing assistance to the Korean American community on similar past initiatives. The four lawmakers spoke about the importance of bringing such an important cultural institution to life, and expressed genuine excitement and joy at the prospect of seeing the completed museum.

 Assemblymember Ron Kim said, “For as long as I can remember, we as a community have dreamed of a museum dedicated to showing the unique history, experiences, struggles, and contributions of Korean Americans in our country. Today represents a truly important milestone for this project, and I thank my colleagues for joining me in making this collective effort to secure this funding for MOKAH. Years from now, I look forward to bringing my family, and especially my daughters, with me to the grand opening."

Assemblymember Edward Braunstein said, “Korean American immigration is a success story of the American Dream. Over the years, generations of Korean Americans have come to our country and made numerous lasting contributions to the fields of science, law, business, art, and more. As the founder of MOKAH, Minsun Kim has worked diligently to curate a collection of 150 years of Korean American emigration and art history. As a representative of Queens, I am proud to be a part of the effort to build a brand-new Museum of Korean American Heritage here in our borough. I thank Assemblymember Ron Kim for his leadership in advocating for these important funds and I look forward to the day we come together again to cut the ribbon on the Museum.”

Assemblymember Nily Rozic said, "“Preserving the stories, traditions, and contributions of Korean Americans is essential to understanding the rich tapestry that defines our borough and our state. Along with my Assembly colleagues Assemblymembers Kim and Braunstein, I am proud to support the $4 million investment in the creation of the Museum of Korean American Heritage in Flushing, which will serve as a lasting tribute to generations of Korean Americans whose entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and cultural contributions have strengthened New York.”