U.S. lawmaker addresses Korean colleague as 'nuna' on Congress floor

An unusual moment on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives drew attention this week after a lawmaker addressed a colleague in Korean and called her “nuna,” a term meaning “older sister,” during formal congressional proceedings.

Rep. Young Kim, far left, finishes speaking as Rep. Blake Moore, far right, speaks during a House session at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 8. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

An unusual moment on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives drew attention this week after a lawmaker addressed a colleague in Korean and called her “nuna,” a term meaning “older sister,” during formal congressional proceedings.

The remark came during a House session on Thursday, when Korean-language words were heard over the chamber microphone. “Kim Young-ok nuna, thank you. You put in so much work. Please keep it up,” the speaker said in clear Korean.

Video from a House session on Thursday shows Korean-language remarks coming over the chamber microphone at the U.S. Capitol in Washington: “Kim Young-ok 'nuna,' thank you. You put in so much work [...] Keep up the good work,” the voice says, enunciating clearly in Korean.

The comment was directed at Representative Young Kim, a California Republican whose Korean name is Kim Young-ok. It was made by Representative Blake Moore, a Republican from Utah, who was presiding over the session at the time.

The exchange followed Ms. Kim’s tribute to the late Representative Doug LaMalfa, a seven-term Republican lawmaker. Speaking on the House floor, Kim recalled that LaMalfa was the only member of Congress who consistently called her by her Korean name — a gesture she said carried personal meaning.

“He didn’t have to do that,” she said, adding that it mattered deeply to her as she honored his memory.

Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT). [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Immediately after her remarks, Moore repeated her Korean name and briefly looked upward as he mentioned LaMalfa, before offering his words of encouragement in Korean.

The moment stood out not only for the language used but also for its tone. Moore, born in 1980, is nearly two decades younger than Kim, who was born in 1962. In Korean, "nuna" is commonly used by younger men to address older women with warmth and familiarity, a register rarely heard in a formal legislative setting.

Moore is known on Capitol Hill for his close ties to Korean American lawmakers and his engagement with Korean culture. As a college student, he spent about two years in Korea as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has spoken openly about his Korean-language skills.

Young Kim, Republican candidate for the 39th Congressional District in California, speaks to supporters on Nov. 6, 2018, in the Riowland Heights section of Los Angeles. [AP/YONHAP]

Before entering politics, Moore worked as a U.S. State Department diplomat handling Asia-related work, continuing his ties to Korea. Since arriving in Congress, he has maintained close relationships with Korean American lawmakers, while taking on the role of introducing Korean culture and Korea-U.S. relations to fellow members, according to reports.

Kim, who is from Incheon, entered the House in 2020 and is now serving her third term. She sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has spoken out on strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance and issues related to the Korean Peninsula.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]