"Abandoned on Seoul Hospital Stairs and Then Adopted..." Confession of a US Federal Judge

Susan Kim DeClark Nominated as Federal Judge Candidate
Abandoned on Hospital Stairs, Adopted by American Family
"I Deeply Reflect on the Opportunities This Country Has Given Me"

Susan Kim DeClarke, a Korean-American nominee for a federal judge position in Michigan, reflected on her life. Born in a hospital in Seoul but abandoned shortly after, she is an American adoptee and a Korean-American immigrant attorney.

According to NBC News on the 9th (local time), DeClarke, a practicing attorney and former federal prosecutor in Northville, Michigan, stated at her federal judge confirmation hearing on the 7th, "I am very proud to be an immigrant."

Earlier, the Biden administration nominated DeClarke last month as a judge for the Eastern District of Michigan federal court. U.S. federal judges are confirmed after a hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee. If confirmed, DeClarke is expected to become the first East Asian federal judge in Michigan.

During the hearing, DeClarke also shared her past. She was reportedly abandoned on the stairs of a hospital in Seoul and later adopted by a single-mother family in the United States.

Susan Kim DeClarke [Image source=U.S. Senate Twitter]

Regarding this, DeClarke emphasized, "I often think deeply about how different my life would have been if that had not happened" and "I am always grateful for the incredible opportunities this country has given me."

As a legal professional, she has built her career working in public and civil rights sectors. DeClarke explained that her identity as an adoptee and immigrant is deeply embedded in her career.

She also stated, "I am deeply thankful not only to the country but also to the government," adding, "This is why I joined the Department of Justice."

She further added, "I have always been sincere about equality and justice, which is part of my experience as an immigrant."

DeClarke expressed that both her biological mother who gave birth to her and her American mother who raised her after adoption are precious to her. She said, "I know that without these two wonderful women, I would not have the life and opportunities I have today."