Congratulations Melissa Lee

Monday, August 10, 2009



Just a quick note and congratulations to New Zealand's Melissa Lee who is the first ever Korean Zealander to get into parlimant on the ruling National Party List:

Her first job in New Zealand was as a newspaper reporter. Five years later, she found a job with New Zealand's state-run broadcaster TVNZ. As an anchor, she was involved in making programs dealing with issues on ethnic minorities. In 1996, she set up her own company Asia Vision, producing and presenting shows.

She received the first courting calls from the NP 10 years ago, but declined the offer at the time. "I had my son in 1998, and I thought it wouldn't be ideal to enter politics with a baby at home. Was it 2006? I had an offer from the NP again before the 2008 general election and accepted as my boy had quite grown up," she said [...]

"I would like to be a political bridge between Korea and New Zealand during my three-year term," she said, "First of all, I want to work toward the signing of the Korea-New Zealand free trade agreement. My dream is also nurturing future Korean-New Zealander politicians. I would like the 35,000 or so Korean New Zealanders to find hope in me." What would be the end goal of her political ambitions? "Since I started it, at least shouldn't I be a minister?” she asked.
Minister Lee?

I think we all like the sound of that.