[Correspondent Diary] Biden's Political Fate Depends on Korean Americans

Korean Support Emerges as Key Factor in Democrats' Senate Control
Korean Businesses and Residents Shift Georgia's Political Landscape
Republicans Also Launch Campaign to Secure Korean Support
Korean-American Incoming Congress Members Join Effort
Expected to Mark Expansion of Korean Political Power

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] There is an assessment that the fate of President-elect Joe Biden depends on the Korean-American community.

President-elect Joe Biden is campaigning alongside Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock, who is running in the Georgia Senate runoff election.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

If the Democratic Party secures both seats in the Georgia Senate runoff election held on January 5 next year, they will take control of the Senate. In the Senate election held alongside the last presidential election, no candidate won a majority in Georgia, leading to this runoff.

Currently, the Republicans hold 50 seats and the Democrats 48 seats. If the Democrats win both seats in Georgia, they will secure the majority in the Senate based on Vice President-elect Kamala Harris's casting vote.

Under the U.S. political structure centered on Congress, President-elect Biden needs to secure the Senate majority to implement policies stably. This is why not only Biden but also former President Barack Obama have campaigned directly, appealing for victory.

Coincidentally, the increase in the number of Korean residents in the area has become a variable. The Democratic Party has recognized that Korean support is essential to win in Georgia, which was once a Republican stronghold.

The American current affairs weekly Time recently published an article titled "Asian and Pacific Islander residents could change the future of the U.S. Senate," forecasting that the political influence of Asian Americans, including Koreans, will sway the upcoming Georgia Senate runoff election.

In the recent Georgia presidential election, President-elect Biden won by a margin of only 12,000 votes over President Trump. This is the first time since Bill Clinton in 1992 that a Democratic presidential candidate has won in Georgia. The Democratic side attributes this change to the increase in Asian residents.

The New York Times also reported in November that the Asian population in Georgia has doubled over the past 20 years and that most of them live near Atlanta, which delivered the victory to Biden.

Time cited Georgia exit polls, finding that 70% of the 140,000 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters cast their ballots for President-elect Biden. Considering the narrow 12,000-vote margin between Biden and Trump, the overwhelming support from Asian residents played a decisive role in Biden's victory. The voter turnout among AAPI residents doubled compared to 2016.

For this reason, Time identified Asian residents as a 'detonator' that could shake not only Georgia's election results but also the U.S. political landscape. Time reported that Georgia's Asian residents will determine whether the Democrats secure the Senate majority or the Republicans maintain it.

According to the Atlanta Consulate General, the Korean population in Georgia reaches 100,000, of which approximately 48,000 are citizens with voting rights.

In Georgia, Kia Motors operates an automobile plant, and SK Innovation is constructing a battery plant for automobiles. Additionally, POSCO, SKC, LG Electronics, LG Hausys, Hyundai Construction Equipment, and Kumho Tire have entered Georgia. As Korean companies expand their presence, Korean residents naturally gather.

Because of this, both the Democratic and Republican parties are focusing on gaining the 'recognition' of Korean voters.

Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff held a virtual policy presentation, receiving support from Gregory Meeks, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Tom Suozzi, and Korean-American Representative Andy Kim.

Unusually, the Republican Party invited Michelle Park Steel and Young Kim, who were elected in this election, to the Atlanta Korean Community Center to request support from Koreans for Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.

For the first time ever, four Korean-American members of the U.S. House of Representatives will begin their terms on January 3 next year. This milestone is expected to elevate the political power of Korean Americans in the U.S. to an unprecedented level. With the addition of the Georgia Senate runoff election, 2021 is expected to be recorded as the inaugural year of 'Korean Power' in American politics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.