Korean-American Day

[Anchor Lead]

January 13th will mark the 114th anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States. Events marking Korean-American Day have been held across the U.S. We’ll take you there now.

[Pkg]

A ceremony commemorating Korean-American Day was held at the Governor's Reception Room of the Maryland State House. The event honored the frontier spirit of Korean ancestors and confirmed the resolve for the Korean-American community's growth. The decision by the State Government of Maryland to organize the event stemmed from the special affection Governor Larry Hogan and his Korean-American wife Yumi Hogan have for Korea.

[Soundbite] Larry Hogan(Governor of Maryland)

January 13, 1903 was the day when Korean immigrants first stepped on Hawaiian soil. In 2005. the U.S. Congress designated this day as Korean-American Day. Last year, the government of the State of Maryland became the first state government to declare Korean-American Day. Late last month, a three-kilometer section of a six-lane motorway in an area where a cluster of Korean stores are located was designated "Korean Way." It's the first road in Maryland to be dedicated to a specific ethnic group.

[Soundbite] Yumi Hogan(First Lady of Maryland) : "Korean-Americans must be proud to see their children take root and grow up here. This is further proof of how hard Korean-Americans have worked."

However, Korean-Americans have yet to expand their presence in the political sector, especially in mainstream U.S. politics, at a level in line with their social and economic contributions.