<Australia Breaknews=Report By Eddy Kim>
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▲ With the Australian local elections approaching in September, Korean-American lawyer Song Kang-ho will enter politics as a city councilor in Ryde City, Sydney. The photo shows current mayor Jerome (left) and lawyer Kang-ho Song (right) promoting the Labor Party election.© Australia Break News
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While Asian people in Australia are becoming targets of hate crimes and rapidly emerging as a new political force, the gust of Korean lawyer Kang-ho Song(43·Sydney Law Firm Sejong) has heralded a change in Australian political circles.
Attorney Song was decided to run in September this year with the current mayor of Ryde City, Jerome Laxale.
"Asians in Australia were among the lowest turnout racially and ethnically, and participation by Asian communities and advocacy groups was low," Song said in an exclusive interview with the newspaper. "But now the turnout has increased significantly and more Asian-born people are in need of a political force."
He then expressed his passion for the influence of the Korean community in Australia, saying, "Ryde City, which I was nominated for, is a large Korean commercial and residential area, including Eastwood, a densely populated area of Koreans."
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▲ In the local elections to be held in September this year, there are cautious observations that a massive Asian advance could change the future landscape of Australian politics. <Graphic=Raphael Lee>©Australia Break News
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Asian politics in Australia to "be a sensation touchstone".
It was only after the 1960s that Korean immigrants began to flow into Australia.
Last year, a local progressive media outlet in Australia pointed out that "Asian immigrants are divided by generation, ethnicity and class," adding, "The gap between rich and poor among Asian Australians is the most severe compared to other races in Australia."
The media continued to point out that "Asian Australians are shaped as political forces," adding that "Asian Australians are the fastest-growing group of voters in Australia," and that "Korean political participation is insufficient."
Another characteristic of Asian backgrounds is that most of them are forming floating voters as politicization is slow. While other Australians inherit political ideologies by growing up with parents who support the Labor Party or the Liberal Party, political scientists explain that Asian Australians tend to be moderate because their parents' generation has distanced themselves from politics.
In terms of policy analysis, Asian Australians support visa and health insurance policies among Labour policies, and small business support and emphasis on law and order among Liberal policies.
He also explained that there are differences between countries of origin, traditionally Vietnamese people support the Liberal Party, and Indian people tend to strongly support the Labour Party.
Meanwhile, it was not without any Korean politicians.
Some political scientists point out the problem that political initiation, which lacks sustainability and political engineering access, which are the core of politics, has not given much meaning to Korean society.
"The number of Korean-Australians in New South Wales is about 100,000," Philippine Sam Perik, an entrepreneur and conservative political activist in New South Wales, said. "Now, Asian, especially Korean, is an inevitable voter union."
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▲ Kang-ho Song , a lawyer running for a Korean-American city councilor, has a different atmosphere in the Korean-Australian community about the impact of his political philosophy on the Australian political arena. The policy continuity with Jerome, the current mayor of the ruling Workers' Party, is also increasing the favorability of the Korean community. © Australian Break News
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What is Kang-ho Song's politics? "Not a goal, but a purpose."
It is natural that the political initiation of lawyer Kang-ho Song, the so-called "Jumoh (1.5)" generation, will come as an interesting expectation for the Korean community in this complex situation in Australia.
Attorney Song's colorful career and career also serve as an advantage in the political arena where access to the field is important. After graduating from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, he has experienced various tasks such as construction manager of construction sites, health food trade, wedding studio operation, and photographer, and is well aware of the people's livelihoods.
Since then, he has studied law and has run a law firm called "Sejong Law" since 2015 to raise awareness of the Korean community.
"I think politics is a purpose, not a goal," he told reporters in an interview. "If politics is a goal, it will only be a step in my own interests, but if it is an end in itself, I will be able to rebuild a progressive Australian political arena for the Korean community or even Asian community."
"I've been thinking about the role of Korean-Australian society in Australia," he said. "I'm glad to take the first step in my Labor Party."
"If a lot of voters give me strength, I'll show you a right path that's not politics," he continued at the end of the interview.
Kang-ho Song's ambition, which has never been heard before in Korean politics, is a reason why he expects a lyrical political arena that touches not only reporters but also the Korean community in Australia.
news2020@aubreaknews.com
