Phillip Kwon Rejection to Be Discussed by NJ Koreans

Korean community leaders in New Jersey want to know what went wrong with the nomination of the first-ever Asian- American to the state Supreme Court.

Heads of Korean community organizations plan to gather Friday at a community center in Englewood to discuss the defeat of Phillip Kwon, a Korean-born former federal prosecutor who was nominated by Gov. Chris Christie as one of his picks for the state Supreme Court.

The 44-year-old Kwon was rejected March 22 by a Democratic panel vote of 7-6, after a daylong grilling about tax issues related to a business owned by Kwon's family.

Kwon's rejection upset many Koreans, and meeting organizers say they want to analyze what went wrong in an effort to improve their strategies for getting more involved in New Jersey politics.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)