“Challenge yourself, and dream will come true!”
(Published May 14, 2013)

Korean politicians who achieved the American dream delivered a speech at ‘Gyeonggi Hope Forum’.

◇ On May 12, Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo introduces speakers to audience at the 274th Gyeonggi Hope Forum. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News / Yoo Jae-hoon

“After my mother’s death when I was 4, I found my father who abandoned me after 35 years from my adoption to US. He had 5 sons and daughters and his wife. I threw away all I prepared as gifts and came back to my place, crying, but when I thought of him again, I felt sad as we nevertheless share the same blood. So, I brought my father, his wife, and 5 half-siblings to U.S. and lived with them.”

This is the story of Shin Ho-beom (Paul Shin·78), the vice-president of Washington State Senate, who is convinced that U.S. will have a Korean president in 20 years. Vice-president Shin, who is seen as one of the successful senior politicians in U.S, was adopted the United States at the age of 15. He is the first Korean-American state senator and held the office for 5 terms.

His hometown is Paju City of Gyeonggi Province, and the very person stood in front of Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo and the provincial employees. In the afternoon of 13, Senator Shin spoke about his life story in a quiet tone with the title ‘Dreams come true’ as the speaker of the 274th Gyeonggi Hope Forum. He began with this childhood when he lost his parents and suffered from hunger.

“I spent my childhood doing chores in the US army after suffering from hunger during the Korean War. The US officer I met then is my adoptive father now. I went to US with him at the age of 15, but I was rejected from school entrance due to the lack of language skills. I had no choice but to study and pass the qualification exam, and after years of hard work, I finally received master’s and Ph.D degree in Oriental History from Washington State University.”

Senator Shin wanted to become a teacher when he first came in US. However, one event led him to engage in politics while he was studying hard for the future. Such case was common to Asian people at that time.

“They said no-whites cannot eat in the restaurant. Even though I went to the restaurant with my American friends, I was the only one repudiated. I could do nothing but think ‘Why?’”

It happened in his early 20s, not long after he came to US. He thought it is unfair to be discriminated against the color of the skin as an Asian. From then, he decided to correct such wrongful views by engaging in the US politics someday.

Along the way, he became associated with Washington State Governor and was elected as the member of the House of Representatives in 1993. He had no idea about how to run the election campaign. So, he met the residents face to face by knocking on every door of 14,000 houses. Americans, although they were wary of him at first, started to pay attention to ‘the adoptee from Korea who sought to serve Americans’.

Afterwards, he was elected to the state senator, for the first time as a Korean-American, and held the position for 4 successive terms. “I wanted to be a politician on behalf of Koreans. I have thought nothing is impossible. No matter where you stand, you can do whatever you want if you try hard.”

Now, he works as the chairman of the board of Korean American Political Education Foundation. He said, “I want to see young and ambitious Korean students achieve success in the United States. I expect more Koreans will play all over the ground in US by supporting disadvantaged students as I was supported.”◇ Vice-president of Washington State Senate Shin Ho-beom speaks in front of Gyeonggi provincial employees ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News / Yoo Jae-hoon

Meanwhile, another invited speaker Lim Yong-geun (John Lim·78) is a reputable politician who held office for 5 terms as the former Oregon State Senator. His hometown is Yeoju County, and he emigrated to US at the age of 30.

Many civilians were slaughtered, alleging they had red ideas. About 500 people were killed in Yeoju County, and among them was my father. The remaining families were branded as ‘the Reds’ too, so it was difficult to live in there. I could do nothing in my hometown. So, I moved to the United States. It was the only choice I could make for living.”

He was a priest at the time he left Korea. However, he started cleaning work in US. He said, “I love the saying, ‘Little things added up become big things’.” That means when we try and pile up small things, we can achieve big things. Although I had nothing when I first started in US, I tried hard and now I am striving to foster Korean politicians.”

The former senator Lim is the president of World Korean Politician Council now. He is also a chairman of the board of John Lim Scholarship Committee. He was the president of the Korean community of Oregon State, too. Even though he had difficulty in communicating with others due to the lack of language skills as he came to US at the relatively late age, he wanted to serve the Korean community. So, he carried out various social activities for the community as much as he could.

In addition to this, he ran for the governor in 2010, for the first time as a Korean. It didn’t make sense to desire to be elected in the conservative US society. However, he challenged it.

“I promoted myself on TV day and night. When I went to the restaurant, many talked in whispers to each other here and there. The result was good. 7 candidates ran for the election from the Republican Party, and I won the second place among them. I was not elected, but it was a historic outcome.”

His philosophy ‘You can do whatever you want when trying’ has been always true for his 50 years in US. He is planning to run for the governor once again in the next year.

“Three fourth of classmates of elementary school died. Some will giggle at me when an 80-year-old senior runs for the governor, but I believe it’s important to ‘Challenge’ our aspirations.”

He strongly said to the audience who incessantly laughed due to his witty speech, “You will not achieve all your dreams. But, if you don’t have a dream, you will achieve nothing.” “Have a dream!”◇ The former Oregon State Senator Lim Yong-geun speaks at the forum. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News / Yoo Jae-hoon

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Rohh Kyung-hee khrohh@kg21.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201305141543587055C048&s_code=C048