Korean-American 3-Term U.S. House Representative Young Kim Claims
"The ROK-U.S. Alliance Is Important for Maintaining the Indo-Pacific"
"Impeachment-Leading Faction Pushes for Korean War Armistice Declaration"
English translation of the article about Korean-American female politician Young Kim, who succeeded in being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the third term:
Young Kim, a Korean-American female politician who has succeeded in being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the third term, claimed that "those who led the impeachment of the president in Korea have been trying to weaken the Korea-U.S. alliance and the Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation."
According to Yonhap News Agency, Representative Kim (Republican, California) made this claim in an op-ed sent to the political media outlet The Hill on the 6th (local time). In the op-ed titled "The Korea-U.S. Alliance Essential for Indo-Pacific Security," she said, "The United States should pay attention to the situation in Korea, as Korea is an important ally in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific against threats from North Korea and China."
Representative Kim suggested the possibility of weakened support for the Korea-U.S. alliance during the impeachment crisis of President Yoon Suk-yeol. She said, "Media coverage, including U.S. media, has been very focused on anti-Yoon protests, but those opposing impeachment also come out every day to Gwanghwamun, the heart of Seoul, waving the Taegeukgi and the U.S. flag. Unfortunately, Western media mostly ignores this image."
She asserted, "While the Korea-U.S. alliance enjoys broad and bipartisan support in the United States, political factions in Korea, including those who led the presidential impeachment, have been trying to weaken the Korea-U.S. alliance and the Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation." She added, "Now is the time to expand our joint exercises, personnel exchanges, and information and technology cooperation, not to reduce them." She pointed out, "Unfortunately, the original impeachment motion against President Yoon claimed that he antagonized North Korea, China, and Russia, isolating Korea in Northeast Asia and being too pro-Japan."
She continued, "The faction leading the impeachment is pushing for a Korean War end-of-war declaration," and said, "An end-of-war declaration that is too early without concessions from North Korea would give North Korea and China an excuse to demand the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Korea and the suspension of Korea-U.S. joint exercises, endangering the U.S. forces in Korea." She also stated that the political turmoil in Korea and the increase in anti-American propaganda are a "green light" for adversaries like China and North Korea to exploit weaknesses in the Korea-U.S. alliance.
Representative Kim emphasized, "The Korea-U.S. alliance must not be ignored in either the United States or Korea," and stressed, "Congress and the current and next U.S. administrations must ensure our continued commitment to the Korea-U.S. alliance and to Korea."
As a first-generation immigrant, Representative Kim entered politics after working as a staffer for Ed Royce, a pro-Korea former U.S. Representative from the Republican Party, at her husband's suggestion. She began her career as an elected official with her election to the California State Assembly in 2014. After entering the U.S. House of Representatives, she has served on the Foreign Affairs Committee, dealing with Korea-U.S. diplomatic issues, and has introduced bills such as the reauthorization of the North Korean Human Rights Act. In February 2023, she was elected as the chair of the Indo-Pacific Subcommittee under the Foreign Affairs Committee, becoming the first Korean-American lawmaker to hold this position.
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