On November 16-17, 2018, the Council of Korean Americans (CKA) convened its fourth annual National Summit & Gala at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, DC.

The CKA National Summit & Gala began in 2015 as an opportunity for Korean Americans to gather in our nation’s capital to reflect on key issues and celebrate our contributions to the United States.

The fourth annual CKA National Summit & Gala convened leading Korean Americans from government, business, academia, and entertainment. Our Summit & Gala featured the following honored guests:

Joseph Yun

Ambassador Joseph Yun

Gala Keynote Speaker

U.S. Special Rep. for North Korea Policy and Senior Advisor, The Asia Group & U.S. Institute of Peace
Timothy Hwang

Timothy Hwang

Young Leader Award

Founder & CEO, FiscalNote
Hesung Koh

Dr. Hesung Koh

Lifetime Achievement Award

Co-founder & Chair, East Rock Institute and Director Emerita, Research & Development, HRAF, Yale University
Daniel Henney

Daniel Henney

Image Award

Film & Television Actor
Eric Holder

Eric Holder

Gala Speaker

Partner, Covington & Burling and former Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice
Capitol Hill Briefing
Gala & Awards Reception

Event Photos

Gala & Award Dinner
2018 National Summit

2017 National Summit & Gala Recap Video

Past speakers and honorees include United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; World Bank President Jim Yong Kim; Judge Lucy Koh, the first female Korean American federal judge; founder and CEO of Forever 21 Don Chang; renowned chemist and philanthropist Dr. Myung Ki Hong; Nightline anchor Juju Chang; tech entrepreneur and co-owner of the San Francisco 49ers Gideon Yu; Chairman & Founder of MBK Partners Michael B. Kim; Former US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Mark W. Lippert; Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary of Target Corporation Don Liu;  Co-owner of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills Kim Pegula; and President of Natural Resources Defense Council Rhea Suh.

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