Seoul – A Filipina has carved for herself a niche in South Korean history by being the first foreign-born citizen to run for the Parliament.

Judith A. Hernandez, a former resident of Cavite, is making waves in the political scene for becoming the first candidate without Korean lineage to run for the Philippine equivalent of a congressional seat. For a society which claims homogeneity and has exhibited a tendency to close itself from foreigners, South Korea has turned substantial media attention to Hernandez for breaking the barrier and gunning for the National Assembly.

Hernandez is running under the "Republic of Korea Party,"a new party organized by former presidential candidate Kook-hyun Moon, for the general elections to be held on April 9, 2008.

Discrimination
Hernandez arrived in Korea more than 15 years ago when she married a Korean national. Now a Korean citizen, Hernandez steadily became active in her local community in Seongnam, a city less than an hour from Seoul, particularly with programs aimed at improving the welfare of migrant workers, foreign spouses, and their children. It is upon this advocacy that she built her political platform.

During a meeting with Amb. Cruz on March 26, Hernandez intimated the difficulty of integrating into Korean society. Once deridingly called a hermit kingdom, Korea derives nationalistic pride from supposedly cradling a homogenous people and culture—a notion now contested in both scholarly and political circles. Foreigners complain of being regarded with suspicion, while children born of mixed marriages often suffer from racial taunts and other forms of discrimination.

Changes are nonetheless taking place. Hernandez opined that the Korean society is opening up as national and local governments have begun institutionalizing programs aimed at fostering a more global outlook. Her very entry into politics signals a possibly shifting tide of perception that is simultaneously highlighting a more accepting view of foreigners while revealing a lingering uneasiness in some sectors.

In a country that is rewriting its social norms and constantly undergoing introspection about its emerging role in the international community, Hernandez’s message is striking a nerve in South Korea’s national consciousness.

Already a Winner
The candidature of Hernandez has so far enjoyed warm response. Her ranking in the party recently climbed from 8th to 7th out of more than 20 hopefuls.