New York’s Korean community would like to congratulate you, Roh Moo-hyun, on your victory as Korea’s 16th president, representing the Min-Joo Party. In your declaration, you said that you want to serve the Korean people and begin a new period of compromise and conversation. The Korean community expects that you will humbly serve us with new policies and the establishment of a grand unification of Koreans at home and abroad.

The New York Korean Community serves as a proud liaison between a strengthened Korea and the rest of the world. Therefore, Mr. President, please do not disregard us—please consider the intelligent and successful Koreans living abroad. Please address and resolve the problem of dual citizenship quickly. The developing rift between the United States and Korea must also be solved quickly.

We ask that you actively and positively address these issues: North Korean nuclear arms, a point of deep concern for America; the revision of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which is the cause of many anti-American demonstrations in Korea; and talks between North and South, which should lead us to peaceful reunification. Koreans in America are very sensitive to all of these issues.

I believe that this election has shown us that Korea is on the way to a new level of development. Older and younger generations, and liberals and conservatives, all share a common desire to shed past politics and begin a new era.

I believe that the your winning strayegy was to cast off past political styles—wasteful spending, for example, and develop new political paradigms. The majority of Koreans share these desires and expectations for a new political age.

We all hope that you will begin your term in office with the Korean people’s heartfelt desires for a new future uppermost in your mind.

Kim Suk-joo is the Chairman of the New York Korean Community.