Kim was born on July 29, 1973.[2] Kim graduated from Langley High School in 1991 and Boston College in 1995.[2] Kim's father immigrated from Korea after the Korean War.[3][4]
Prior to her career in elected office, Kim was a television reporter[3] as well as a television production assistant; associate
producer, and news anchor.[2]
In 2011, Kim announced that she would run for state House District 103 the next year, challenging incumbent Ron Buxton, a fellow Democrat, in the primary election.[5] Buxton ultimately decided to not run for reelection.[6] In the 2012 primary, Kim defeating Roy Christ, Karl Lewis Singleton, and Gloria E. Martin-Roberts, receiving 28.81% of the vote; Christ received 28.03%, Singleton 24.4%, and Martin-Roberts 18.76%.[7] She ran unopposed in the general election.[8]
In the 2014 election, Kim defeated Gina L. Roberson in the Democratic primary, receiving 78.42% of the vote to Roberson's 21.58%.[9] Kim ran unopposed in the 2014 general election.[10]
In 2016, Kim defeated opponent Richard Soto in the Democratic primary,[11] receiving 89.41% of the vote to Soto's 10.58%.[12] She ran unopposed in the 2016 general election.[13]
In the 2018 election, Kim ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.[14] In the November 2018 general election, Kim defeated Republican nominee Anthony Thomas Harrell, receiving 83.98% of the vote to Harrell's 16.02%.[15]
In the 2020 election, Kim defeated opponent Kelvin Maxson in the Democratic primary,[16] receiving 84.95% of the vote to Maxson's 15.05%. She ran unopposed in the 2020 general election.[17]
In the 2022 election, Kim defeated opponent Heather Macdonald in the Democratic primary,[18] receiving 87.37% of the vote to Macdonald's 12.63%. In the November 2022 general election, Kim defeated Republican nominee David D Buell, receiving 89.1% of the vote to Buell's 10.9%.[19]
Over several sessions in the state House, Kim was a leader in efforts to increase in Pennsylvania's state minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour.[20][21] Kim also sponsored legislation that would expunge the criminal records of persons convicted of non-violent crimes who do not commit another crime for at least seven years.[11]
In 2015, Kim recruited six other House Democrats from inner-city districts across the state to go to block parties to reach out to voters to increase awareness for more education spending in state budget.[22]
In 2019, Kim supported calls by Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse for a state-appointed receiver to assume control of the long-troubled Harrisburg School District, which has been plagued by financial mismanagement, poor academic performance, and high employee turnover.[23][24]
In 2019, Kim was the sole Democrat in the state House to support a pension reform proposal that would switch a traditional pension plan for state workers to a 401(k)-style plan.[25]
Kim currently sits on the Appropriations, Education, Finance, Insurance, and Local Government committees.[26]
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