Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) and Representative Young Kim (R-CA) on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the United States–South Korea partnership across shipbuilding, trade, and security, speaking at an event hosted by the Korean American Grassroots Conference in Washington. The gathering honoured prominent members of the Korean American community and drew bipartisan voices from Congress.

Sen. Kim on Tariffs and the Bilateral Relationship

Andy Kim, the first Korean American member of the US Senate, acknowledged that the Trump administration's tariffs have complicated efforts to maximise economic cooperation between Seoul and Washington, but expressed confidence in the relationship's resilience. 'I still believe the relationship between the US and South Korea is very strong,' he said, adding, 'But I am going to continue to try to strengthen this (relationship) and push forward.'

He highlighted South Korea's growing footprint in American industry, citing the Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, acquired by South Korean conglomerate Hanwha in late 2024. 'I was just at the Philly Shipyard a couple of weeks ago, seeing the incredible investment that Hanwha has made,' he said. 'We continue to see that growth on so many fronts.'

Rep. Kim on the New US Ambassador and the Partner with Korea Act

Young Kim, who chairs the subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific affairs under the House Foreign Affairs Committee, expressed optimism about incoming US Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel, describing her as 'the right person at the right time in our critical US-South Korea relations.' The Senate confirmed Steel — a former two-term Korean American congresswoman — last week, clearing the path for her ambassadorship.

Rep. Kim also underscored the importance of her proposed 'Partner with Korea Act,' which seeks to create an allotment of 15,000 E-4 highly skilled work visas for South Koreans with specialised expertise. The bill gained urgency following a US immigration raid at a South Korean battery plant construction site in Georgia in September, which led to the detention of more than 300 Korean workers. 'My hope is that the bill will be passed during this Congress,' she said.

A Divided View on Michelle Steel

The two lawmakers diverged sharply over Steel's suitability. While Rep. Kim expressed 'a lot of faith in her and a lot of optimism,' Sen. Kim accused Steel of making what he described as racist remarks against Asian Americans who had run for office and served in the US military. He called on her to apologise publicly for those comments. The disagreement underscores how Steel's confirmation, though bipartisan in outcome, has not resolved underlying tensions within the Korean American political community.

Broader Community Voice and What Comes Next

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) also addressed the event, praising the Korean American community as a demonstration of the 'power of immigrants' and calling for more people of Korean descent to enter elected office and public leadership. 'My hope is (that) for our democracy to survive and thrive, we urgently need more Koreans to enter the political realm and the leadership realm in American politics,' he said.

Rep. Kim reflected on her own journey, framing America as a place where diversity is 'a feature of national power,' and encouraged young Korean Americans to pursue the opportunities the country presents. With Steel's confirmation now complete and the Partner with Korea Act pending before Congress, the trajectory of the US-South Korea relationship — on trade, security, and immigration — will be closely watched in the months ahead.