US Lawmaker Sunja, Tearful Meeting with President Moon: "I'm Deeply Moved"

President Moon Jae-in, who is on an official working visit to the United States, is speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives held at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on the 20th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] President Moon Jae-in, who is on an official working visit to the United States, held a meeting on the 20th (local time) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others. Notably, Korean-American members of the U.S. House of Representatives expressed their excitement at meeting President Moon during the meeting, drawing attention.

According to the Blue House, the meeting was attended by Speaker Pelosi and House leadership, and especially Korean-American representatives such as Andy Kim (Democratic Party), Marilyn Strickland (Democratic Party), Young Kim (Republican Party), and Michelle Park Steel (Republican Party) also participated, welcoming President Moon’s visit and repeatedly emphasizing the importance of the Korea-U.S. alliance.

In the U.S. federal House of Representatives election last November, Representative Andy Kim was re-elected, and Strickland, Steel, and Young Kim were newly elected, marking a historic achievement as four Korean-Americans entered the U.S. federal Congress simultaneously for the first time in Korean-American history. At that time, President Moon also expressed his joy by posting a congratulatory message on social media (SNS) shortly after their election.

At the meeting, Representative Andy Kim said, "My parents immigrated from poor Korea 50 years ago, and it is very moving to meet the president at the Capitol as a member of the House."

Representative Young Kim said, "As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I hope to promote exchanges not only between administrations but also between the legislatures of both countries," adding, "I wish the Korea-U.S. summit to be successful and constructive."

Marilyn Strickland, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November last year, attended the swearing-in ceremony in January wearing a red hanbok jeogori and a blue hanbok chima.
[Photo by Facebook]

Especially, Marilyn Strickland, who attracted attention by wearing a red hanbok jeogori and a blue hanbok chima at her swearing-in ceremony in January, was reported by a Blue House official to have shown a tearful expression upon meeting President Moon. Strickland was born to a Korean mother and an American father and has the Korean name "Sunja."

Speaker Pelosi took out a New Year’s greeting card sent by President Moon this year and said, "It is very beautiful, and I keep it well. The message inside about tirelessly working for peace and prosperity for humanity was also touching."

A Blue House official introduced that "even among American lawmakers who are not Korean-American, there were some who greeted in Korean by saying 'gamsahamnida' (thank you)," describing the meeting as having a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Meanwhile, at the meeting, President Moon requested the U.S. Congress’s support for the development of the Korea-U.S. alliance, peace on the Korean Peninsula, and mutually beneficial cooperation, and exchanged opinions on various issues including COVID-19 response. President Moon emphasized, "The U.S. Congress is the congress of all humanity supporting democracy," and added, "The fact that South Korea has become a developed country in economy, culture, and quarantine is also the power of democracy." He further stated, "The Korea-U.S. alliance is the most exemplary alliance in the world, and we promise to continue moving together in the same direction," and said, "The trust and support of the U.S. Congress, which has always stood with Korea in difficult times, has been a great strength."