2 Korean-Americans play role in US parties

With the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, two Korean-Americans are playing major roles in working out platforms for the Democratic Party and Republican Party that were confirmed at their national conventions.

Martha Choe, 41, a second-generation Korean-American, is participating as one of the members working on the Democratic Party`s platform, which will be finalized at the national convention scheduled for Aug. 14 in Los Angeles. She reportedly is providing last-minute advice on the economic sector of the platform, which will be fixed shortly.

Recently, a newspaper in Seattle designated Choe as one of the 30 most influential people in Seattle. Choe completed an MBA at Seattle University and served on the Seattle City Council twice, in 1991 and 1995. Currently, as an economic brain, she is director of the Trade and Economic Development Department of the State of Washington.

Along with Hong Keum-Soon, vice chairman of public policy at the Holt International Children`s Welfare Institute, Choe also serves as one of the 15 White House advisers on Asian-Pacific affairs.

At the Philadelphia convention of the Republican Party, which ended August 3, Paul Jin, 67, participated in the formulation of the party`s platform. Previously, he worked as one of the members of the California Education Commission.