By Andy Jackson
When voters go to the polls in the East Coast American state of North Carolina later today, the bulk of the public's attention will be on the ongoing struggle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
However, one of the down-ballot races caught my eye: Augustus Cho (Cho Sung-uk) is running for the Republican nomination in North Carolina's 4th Congressional District.
His life's journey is at once both personal and reflective of the common experiences of many Koreans who have immigrated to the United States and who continue to have an impact both on America and America's relationship with Korea.
Cho was born in Korea in 1958 and followed is mother to the United States almost ten years later. He was part of a tiny minority for his entire school life, being one of only four Korean-Americans in his high school. He was one of only eight ethnic Korean students on campus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, were he studied economics.
A large majority of Korean-Americans are Christian and churches are centers of community life in the Korean-American Community. The church has had a huge impact on Cho's life. He earned a Masters of Divinity in 1990 and spent 12 years serving in the ministry.
His journey into politics began in 2002, when he returned to Korea to become an instructor in one of the colleges serving U.S. military personnel. That experience living in Korea again and working with members of the military had a strong impact of Cho and his views on community service. He vowed to ``make a positive difference" when he returned to the United States three years later.
That vow led him to a position in the local board of transportation, a town council seat and the chairmanship of the Orange County (North Carolina) Republican Party, culminating in his current congressional campaign.
I contacted Cho and asked him about his candidacy and his views on several issues.
You spent the first several years of your life in Korea. Has that influenced your views on politics and public service?
``I left Seoul when I was 9 years and 11 months old. At that point in my life, the basic cosmology of my existence was Korean: the importance of family, love for one's own country, the willingness to make personal sacrifice for the greater good and the courage to stand up and proclaim the truth. Now, four decades later, I find the United States needing leaders with the characteristics that I've grown up with and valued all of my life.''
What kind of support have you received from the North Carolina Korean-American community for your campaign?
``Unlike Koreans on the West Coast (specifically the Los Angeles area), where they realize the importance and the value of being part of the political process as an agent of positive change, Koreans on the East Coast still largely exist as a sub-culture. Although I welcome Korean community support, I am a candidate running to represent the entire NC-4th District and not any specific ethnic groups.
``It is worth noting that I made history in the state of North Carolina politics in March of 2007 when I was elected Orange County Republican Party Chairman. I was the first Asian born county Chairman on either side: Democrat or Republican. The other historical fact is that I am the first Koran-American candidate to run for the United States Congress in the state of North Carolina, if not the entire nation outside of California.''
Korean-Americans are not known to be especially politically active when compared with other ethnic groups. How does that view compare with your own observations?
``That is an accurate observation of Koreans, much to my vexation. I am sure there are reasons for that but, in the final analysis it does not help the Korean-American community when we are socially and politically passive. As long as Korean-Americans are not willing to step up to the plate, they will continue to be on the losing end, politically.''
How do you feel about the practice of ``birth tourism'' in which expecting mothers from Korea (among other nations) travel to the United States in order to give birth to their children, thereby giving those children American citizenship?
``For me, as an individual and a congressional candidate, immigration is a critical issue while 'birth tourism' is a facet of that issue. While I support lawful immigration, I oppose 'birth tourism' for a number of ethical reasons. Even those who have practiced 'birth tourism' will acknowledge the wrongfulness of such a questionable, back-door immigration process.
``In essence, it is fundamentally wrong to come to the United States just to have a baby for the social and the legal benefits the child (and indirectly the parents) will receive by virtue of being born in America, with no regard to having put anything into the system. The practice of 'Birth tourism' totally abuses the laws and systems of a generous nation by providing rights and services to individuals it was not intended to serve.''
What is your view on the USA including Korea in the Visa Waiver Program?
``The Republic of Korea is an ally of the United States of America. Since the end of the WWII, through the Korean War and thereafter, the close military, political and economic ties have given the two nations a unique and a special relationship. As such, I support Korea being one of the nations with the VWP status.''
If Cho succeeds in making it to Congress, he would not be the first Korean-American to do so. That distinction goes to Jay Kim, who was elected in California in 1992. Like Cho, Kim was born in Korea and immigrated to the United States.
However, Korean political participation has largely been a west coast phenomenon. Cho¡?s candidacy could mark the beginning of wider participation by Korean-Americans in American public life.
Andy Jackson teaches American government in the Lakeland College bridge program at Ansan College, Gyeonggi Province. He can be reached at andyinrok@lycos.com