Harry Kim (born 1939) is an American local politician and public official best known for his multiple terms as Mayor of Hawaiʻi County, commonly called the Island of Hawaiʻi or the Big Island. He first served as mayor from 2000 to 2008 and was elected to the office again, taking office in December 2016. Before entering elected office he spent many years as the county's civil defense director, a role that shaped his public profile and approach to leadership.
Roles and responsibilities
As mayor of Hawaiʻi County, Kim has been responsible for municipal services across a geographically large and ecologically diverse island: public safety and emergency preparedness, infrastructure and road maintenance, land use and zoning implementation, and coordination with state and federal agencies. His background in civil defense has made emergency management—especially response to volcanic events, flooding and other natural hazards—a central part of his public duties.
Career and background
Kim spent decades in county government before his first election as mayor. His tenure as civil defense director involved organizing evacuations, directing emergency communications, and leading interagency coordination during disasters. That operational experience was a defining feature of his initial mayoral campaigns and his public reputation.
Political identity and style
Although Kim first sought mayoral office as a Republican, he has long described himself as largely nonpartisan in his municipal role, focusing on pragmatic, community‑level problem solving rather than ideological alignment. Observers have described his leadership style as hands‑on and community oriented, emphasizing practical solutions and visible involvement in local events and emergency situations.
Issues and legacy
During his mayoral terms Kim has given attention to disaster preparedness, infrastructure resilience, support for local agriculture and small communities, and improving county services across a large rural island. His repeated elections reflect a voter preference, in parts of the island, for leaders with crisis management experience and local ties. Kim is also noted as one of the more prominent Korean‑American politicians in Hawaiʻi’s local government.
Kim’s career illustrates how experience in emergency management can become a central qualification for local executive office in places that face frequent natural hazards. For a concise account of his party affiliation history and public statements on nonpartisanship, see sources linked from official election materials and local coverage.