Fil-Korean seeks post in April 11 Korea elections

It was love that brought Philippine-born Jasmine Lee to Korea in 1994. It was family that made her choose to stay in Korea. Jasmine became a naturalized Korean in 1998.   Now, love, family, and patriotism made Jasmine run in South Korea’s 2012 National Elections. On March 20 this year, Jasmine’s birthday, the Saenuri Party also known as the Grand National Party of Korea, announced that Jasmine secured the 17^th slot as a proportional representative candidate. A Korean-based Filipina blogger Betchay said on her site: “Jasmine Lee met Park Geun Hye, chairman of the (Saenuri) party and the daughter of former president Park Chung Hee, at an award ceremony early this year.”  The Saenuri Party — the majority block in South Korea’s National Assembly — has 46 candidates, including Lee, for the 54 proportional representative seats in the April 11 elections. Jasmine is a tv host and actress in Korea, appearing in movies such as “Secret Reunion” and “Punch.” Jasmine is also the director at the Global Resource Center in Korea’s capital Seoul. The non-government organization serves as a support group for foreign wives of Koreans. Support of Pinoys Jasmine enjoys the support of Pinoys in her political bid. The Commission on Filipino Overseas estimated that in 2010, around 82,359 Filipinos were living in Korea including immigrants, overseas workers and undocumented or overstaying Pinoys. STORIFY:

  A separate report on the news site Chosun Ilbo said estimated that around 30,000 foreigners marry Korean men. Jasmine met her husband in the Philippines when she was only a 19-year-old biology student at the Ateneo de Davao University in Mindanao, Chosun Ilbo reported. A Korean tourist, the man who would later become her husband, came to the retail store of Jasmine's parents to buy a drink. "He seems to have fallen in love with me at first sight," Jasmine told Chosun Ilbo.    "I watched the store at weekends at the time. He came back again and again to buy candy, beer and other things during his three-day stay. Finally, he asked for my name, address and phone number,” she added.   They became pen pals, then lovers. A year after meeting each other, they got married. Jasmine's husband Lee Dongho, a sailor, vowed that they would live in the Philippines. However, destiny had other plans for them.   “I visited Korea to meet his parents after marriage. My husband wanted me to stay for three months until my visa expired… He was pretty quiet in the Philippines, but looked happy and upbeat here (Korea). I realized this was where he belonged,” Jasmine said.   She returned to the Philippines after her visa expired. However, she soon discovered that she was pregnant and decided to deliver her baby in Korea.   In 2010, her husband died. He was trying to save their daughter from drowning when he had a cardiac arrest.   Jasmine confessed that she locked herself in a room for almost a month after her husband’s death, adding that it was love for her children that helped her go on with life. She said she saw her children getting ready for school and "realized I had to live." - VVP, GMA News