An ethnic Korean has won a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates in the recent U.S. state elections.

Mark Keam is the first ethnic Korean to win a state parliamentary seat in Virginia, near the U.S. capital Washington D.C.

Keam immigrated to the United States in the 1970s.

He worked as an aide for Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and campaigned for Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race last year.

In an interview with KBS, Keam said that he was glad with his victory, especially when the Republicans have swept many seats in the House.

He said he will do his best to promote the rights of Korean Americans.