Korean-American politicians from the Los Angeles and Orange Counties are attending the Global Korean Politicians Forum in Seoul.
The forum began on August 19 and continues through August 23. From the U.S. region, Irvine Councilmember Tammy Kim. Buena Park Vice Mayor Joyce Ahn, Rancho Palos Verdes Councilmember Paul Seo, and Los Angeles City Planning Commissioner Steve Kang are participating in the forum.
The forum brings together Korean American politicians from around the world to foster interaction and cooperation. The focus is on strengthening the global Korean network through discussion and collaboration on a variety of issues.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to interact with Korean politicians not only in North America but also globally to build the political power of various Korean communities,” said Kang. “I hope to see such forums continue to grow and produce more Korean politicians in the Korean American communities.”
Seo spoke on the second day of the forum on the topic of Political Challenges and Success.
“It was a great opportunity for us to collaborate on better policy making,” said Ahn, who attended the forum for the first time, adding, ”We were able to refine our strategies to make the Korean American community’s voice stronger.”
The forum was also attended by Justice Patricia Lee, who became the first woman of Asian descent to serve on the Nevada Supreme Court. Born to a U.S. soldier in South Korea and a Korean mother, Lee moved to the U.S. as a child. She attended George Washington University Law School and was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2022.
“To increase the political power of Koreans in the U.S., it is necessary to overcome language barriers, expand social contribution activities, and actively participate in voting,” said Lee. “The challenge of the older generation must continue so that more of the next generation can enter the political arena.”
The event was also attended by the Overseas Korean Cooperation Center’s 30 scholarship recipients, who had mentoring sessions with global Korean politicians.
BY YEOL JANG, HOONSIK WOO [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
