WASHINGTON — Newly elected U.S. Representative Dan Koh, a proud descendant of the island of Jeju in South Korea, has expressed deep gratitude to the residents of his ancestral hometown following his historic congressional victory.

Koh, representing Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District, addressed the warm congratulatory banners displayed by local residents and the Yeonggok-ong branch of the Jeju Koh clan in Hagwi-ri, Aewol-eup—the birthplace of his late grandfather, Dr. Koh Kwang-lim.

A Heartfelt Response from Washington

Speaking at a joint press conference for newly elected Asian-American federal lawmakers in Washington, D.C., Koh greeted reporters with a friendly "Annyeonghaseyo" (Hello in Korean) before reflecting on the heartfelt gestures sent from across the Pacific.

"Seeing the banners put up by the people of Jeju meant a great deal to me," Koh shared with Korean media outlets. The banners celebrated the ascent of a member of the Jeju Koh lineage into the U.S. federal legislature.

Koh’s victory marks a historic milestone: he is the first Arab-American and Asian-American to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives. After an unsuccessful primary bid in 2018, Koh mounted a successful campaign this year, adding another chapter to a distinguished career that includes serving as chief of staff to the Mayor of Boston and working as a White House aide in the Biden administration.

A Legacy of Diplomacy and Immigration

Koh’s family history reflects a classic immigrant journey. His grandparents on both sides left their homelands—Jeju, South Korea, and Lebanon—decades ago in search of a better life in the United States.

His grandfather, Dr. Koh Kwang-lim, was an esteemed international legal scholar who served as a minister and chargé d’affaires at the South Korean Embassy in Washington during the early 1960s. His father, Howard Koh, is a Harvard professor who previously served as Assistant Secretary for Health in the Obama administration.

Koh revealed that his 96-year-old grandmother sent him a late-night email congratulating him on his victory. Reflecting on her journey of immigrating to the U.S. some 70 years ago, he noted how remarkable it was for her to witness her grandson enter the halls of Congress, adding that he often wonders how his late grandfather would have reacted to the achievement.

Looking Forward to Korea and Cultural Pride

Following his upcoming inauguration early next year, Koh hopes to visit South Korea alongside his wife and two young children, aged six and three. Though he worries about the long-haul flight, he joked that showing his kids popular animated content like K-Pop: Demon Hunters might help pass the time.

Koh also highlighted the explosive global influence of Korean culture, noting that his children and their white friends alike enjoy Korean media—citing cultural phenomenons like Oldboy, Parasite, and Squid Game. He observed that the mainstream popularity of Korean culture in America is a transformation that would have been unimaginable to his father’s generation.

With Korean culture carving out such a prominent space in American society, Koh expressed his aspiration to help expand the political engagement and representation of Korean-Americans moving forward.

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