Congressman-elect Koh expresses concerns over S. Korea-U.S. alliance under Trump administration

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By Chang Dong-woo WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- Korean American Congressman-elect Dan ...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- Korean American Congressman-elect Dan Koh expressed concern Wednesday over the state of the South Korea-U.S. alliance under President Donald Trump, pledging to help restore bilateral ties while questioning the prospects of productive diplomacy between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Koh, a Democrat who won a House seat representing Massachusetts in last week's midterm elections, made the remarks during a press conference hosted by the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus in Washington.

"I'm very concerned about the relationship," Koh said, stressing that the alliance should remain strong regardless of whether a Republican or Democratic president occupies the White House.

In the past, Koh served as a White House official during former President Joe Biden's administration and chief of staff of former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

He criticized Trump's treatment of Korean immigrants and Korean workers in the U.S., citing an incident involving South Koreans in Georgia last year, as well as the administration's tariff policies toward U.S. allies.

"So I will be doing everything I can to be restoring the alliance that I felt was thriving under Joe Biden, where I worked in the Biden White House," he said.

Asked about the possibility of Trump meeting North Korean leader Kim during his upcoming Asia trip, Koh said he supported diplomacy with North Korea but doubted that the president's approach would produce constructive results for either South Korea or the United States.

"I do not think that this is a president who's going to look for a productive, peaceful progress forward between South and North Korea," Koh said. "I think he's looking for notes on how to be a dictator, and I don't think that we should be playing that game."

On possible measures to strengthen the alliance, Koh said he hoped to work closely with Korean American Sen. Andy Kim, who had already contacted him about potential legislative cooperation.

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