Two Korean Americans win U.S. congressional elections

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (Yonhap) -- Two Korean Americans, including a female politician, won elections to the U.S. House of Representatives in this week's congressional races.

Democrat Marilyn Strickland, former mayor of Tacoma, won the race in Washington's 10th Congressional District, becoming the first Korean American woman elected to Congress in its 230-year history.

Strickland also became the first African American to represent Washington State at the federal level. She was born in Seoul in 1962 to an American father and a Korean mother.

Democrat Andy Kim won the race in New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District, the AP reported.

Known for his expertise on the Middle East, Kim previously worked at the White House on counter-terrorism, advised the Pentagon on national security and served in Afghanistan as a civilian adviser to top U.S. military brass.

Along with Strickland and Kim, three other South Korean candidates -- Republicans Young Kim and Michelle Steel, and Democratic David Kim -- also ran in Tuesday's congressional elections.

The vote counting is still under way for the three candidates' electoral districts.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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