S. Korea exemplifies democracy, U.S. military presence vital: Rep. Marilyn Strickland

The 119th U.S. Congress includes Marilyn Strickland, a Democrat representing Washington's 10th District.

She is also a Korean-American who believes firmly in the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea.

She recently spoke with us and our Choi Min-jung has more.

Korean-American Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, one of the first three Korean-American women elected to Congress and reelected to represent Washington's 10th District for a third term,. affirmed that the Seoul-Washington alliance will remain "ironclad," regardless of South Korea's current political landscape.

In an exclusive interview with Arirang, Strickland addressed the implications of South Korea's domestic political turbulence regarding President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment, noting that while the situation is unfortunate, it exemplifies democracy in action.

"It's why you have separate coequal branches of government to serve as checks and balances. So in many ways what happened is a prime example of how democracy is meant to work and supposed to work we want to make sure that we are staying strong with our partners and allies who value an uplift democracy."

With former President Donald Trump returning to the White House for a second term,. concerns over the continuation of "America First" policies—including increased defense cost-sharing—are mounting.

However, Strickland noted that despite media speculation, no formal discussions have taken place.

"And so we want to make sure that it's being done fairly. We're doing it conscientiously but understanding that having military presence in Korea is important again, for a free, safe, and open Indo-Pacific."

An area of concern for the Korean-American community is Trump's intensified immigration policies, including deportations.

Some 150-thousand Koreans living in the U.S. are reportedly subject to deportation following a Trump administration order.

20-thousand of those are believed to be Korean adoptees who have not yet received U.S. citizenship.

Strickland expressed concern,. saying immigrants play an essential role across all sectors in the U.S., and that the American economy will collapse, if they are deported simply for lacking documentation.

"So as a Korean-American, as someone who values immigrant talent, I definitely want to make sure that we're able to stop Trump from doing the wrong thing but finding a way to do the right thing as well."

This rise in Korean-American political representation, exemplified by Strickland, signals a growing influence that will not only strengthen ties between Seoul and Washington, but also shape the broader political landscape of the Korean-American community in the U.S.

Choi Min-jung, Arirang News.

You can watch the full interview on Within the Frame which will be aired right after this newscast.