By Jane Han
DALLAS ― As the decisive California primary is just days ahead, Democratic candidates and supporters are making unprecedented efforts to appeal to Korean voters in one of the most unpredictable presidential campaigns in recent memory.
Last week, Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's campaign launched a 30-second television ad in Korean, the first of its kind in U.S. elections, in an effort to communicate her pledges effectively to Korean immigrant voters in California.
In the commercial, Clinton promises to provide quality education for all children regardless of their background, reform the nation's immigration policy and guarantee health care for war veterans.
"I know that America cannot reach its full potential without all of us coming together,'' the former U.S. secretary of state said.
The Korean ad is a part of the Clinton campaign's newest $1 million television ad purchase in California ― the nation's largest and most populous and diverse state ― aimed at mainly targeting Hispanics and Asian-Americans
"Korean voters are small but growing and they have begun to matter more to American politicians," says Michael Kim, 26, who is one of many younger generation Korean-Americans who have teamed up to campaign for Clinton in California.
Supporters like Kim and many others have come together to begin various campaign events for Clinton, as well as expand her online presence by creating the Facebook page ''Korean-Americans for Hillary."
"For minority voters like us, this election is an opportunity to show that we have a voice in this country," he said. "That's the only way our voice will matter in future elections."
Clinton's Democratic Party competitor Bernie Sanders is also appealing to Korean voters ― with the help of his supporters.
The National Nurses Union, with 185,000 registered members, funded a campaign billboard to be set up in the busiest part of Los Angeles' Koreatown.
It reads in Korean, "The most trusted profession trusts Bernie. Nurses say Bernie Sanders for President."
Political observers say Sanders' cash-crunched campaign probably does not allow him to spend much on campaigning directly to Koreans, so his supporters are jumping in to win over votes for him.
California's primaries are typically considered an afterthought in U.S. presidential primaries, because they come late in the calendar, but not this time.
The latest polls show that Sanders has quickly narrowed the gap with Clinton in California, making the race crucial up to voting day on June 7.
The delegate count shows that losing California will not stop Clinton from getting the party nomination, but experts say the defeat will damage her campaign psychologically and most likely encourage Sanders to say in the race until the party convention in July.
DALLAS ― As the decisive California primary is just days ahead, Democratic candidates and supporters are making unprecedented efforts to appeal to Korean voters in one of the most unpredictable presidential campaigns in recent memory.
Last week, Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's campaign launched a 30-second television ad in Korean, the first of its kind in U.S. elections, in an effort to communicate her pledges effectively to Korean immigrant voters in California.
In the commercial, Clinton promises to provide quality education for all children regardless of their background, reform the nation's immigration policy and guarantee health care for war veterans.
"I know that America cannot reach its full potential without all of us coming together,'' the former U.S. secretary of state said.
The Korean ad is a part of the Clinton campaign's newest $1 million television ad purchase in California ― the nation's largest and most populous and diverse state ― aimed at mainly targeting Hispanics and Asian-Americans
"Korean voters are small but growing and they have begun to matter more to American politicians," says Michael Kim, 26, who is one of many younger generation Korean-Americans who have teamed up to campaign for Clinton in California.
Supporters like Kim and many others have come together to begin various campaign events for Clinton, as well as expand her online presence by creating the Facebook page ''Korean-Americans for Hillary."
"For minority voters like us, this election is an opportunity to show that we have a voice in this country," he said. "That's the only way our voice will matter in future elections."
Clinton's Democratic Party competitor Bernie Sanders is also appealing to Korean voters ― with the help of his supporters.
The National Nurses Union, with 185,000 registered members, funded a campaign billboard to be set up in the busiest part of Los Angeles' Koreatown.
It reads in Korean, "The most trusted profession trusts Bernie. Nurses say Bernie Sanders for President."
Political observers say Sanders' cash-crunched campaign probably does not allow him to spend much on campaigning directly to Koreans, so his supporters are jumping in to win over votes for him.
California's primaries are typically considered an afterthought in U.S. presidential primaries, because they come late in the calendar, but not this time.
The latest polls show that Sanders has quickly narrowed the gap with Clinton in California, making the race crucial up to voting day on June 7.
The delegate count shows that losing California will not stop Clinton from getting the party nomination, but experts say the defeat will damage her campaign psychologically and most likely encourage Sanders to say in the race until the party convention in July.
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