Lim was born in Yeoju, Keiki-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan (now in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea).[2] As an adolescent, Lim suffered from tuberculosis for five years, from which he nearly died. He was married in 1963 and graduated from Seoul Theological College in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion.[citation needed] He emigrated to the United States in 1966, penniless.[2] When he first arrived in America, he had no resources and worked as a janitor. He later had plans to become a Catholic priest. He eventually decided against this, however, as it would have required him to abandon his Protestant heritage. As an adult, Lim started several businesses, including a house painting and gardening business, a vitamin distribution company, and a real estate business with his wife.
Lim was elected to the 11th district[3] of the Oregon State Senate in 1992. He served as Majority Leader in 1995[4] and was re-elected in 1996. In April 1999, while serving as chairman of the Trade & Economic Development committee, Lim famously proposed installing signs at the state lines reading, "You are welcome to visit Oregon, but please don't stay." The signs were intended to discourage visitors from moving to Oregon, to preserve the state's economic and ecologic infrastructure as well as general "quality of life."[5]
Oregon's term limit law was still in effect at the conclusion of his second Senate term, so he left the Senate following the 1999 Legislative session. Lim was succeeded by fellow Republican John Minnis.[7]
John Lim lost his bid for re-election to the Oregon House in the 2008 general election. Former police officer Greg Matthews, a Democrat, took over representation of Oregon's 50th District in January 2009.
Lim was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Oregon governor in 2010.[8] He came in third out of nine, behind the primary winner Chris Dudley and second-place finisher Allen Alley.[9]
