International K-Pop superstars are headed to the White House next week to meet with President Joe Biden where they will discuss “Asian inclusion and representation.”
In a statement from the White House, the press office announced that the Billboard Music Award-winning South Korean boy band BTS (“Beyond the Scene”) will join Biden to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years.
“President Biden has previously spoken about his commitment to combating the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes and signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act in May 2021 to provide law enforcement with resources to identify, investigate, and report hate crimes and ensure that hate crimes information is more accessible to AA and NHPI communities,” the press statement explained.
“President Biden and BTS will also discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion and BTS’ platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world,” the White House release added. “Additional details to follow.”
BTS is heading to the White House to meet with President Joe Biden. The White House says the South Korean boy band will talk with Biden next week about Asian representation and inclusion. They’ll also discuss hate crimes and discrimination against Asians. https://t.co/ZQVTJ1xznq
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 26, 2022
The announcement comes following Biden’s recent trip to Asia where he spent time in Seoul and had meetings with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, CNN reported.
In 2021, BTS made headlines when they spoke out about “discrimination” they claimed to have faced as Asians in a tweet with the hashtag “#StopAsianHate.”
“We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians,” the BTS statement read at the time. “We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English.”
“We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason,” the statement added. “Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks.”
The statement was similar to ones made by other celebrities speaking out against anti-Asian violence following several attacks against Asian-Americans and Asian immigrants in early 2021.