Poll Shows Korean Americans Backing the Dodgers’ White House Visit

A new survey of Korean American respondents shows strong support for the LA Dodgers visiting the White House, even as an anti-Trump labor group campaigns for players to reject the invitation.

The survey was conducted by The Korea Daily in connection with a petition effort reported in the paper’s November 10 A-3 edition, where an anti-Trump labor organization urged the Major League Baseball (MLB) champions not to accept a White House invitation. Among 456 respondents, 75.4% (344 people) said the Dodgers should visit because “it is a tradition for the winning team.” About 23% (106 respondents) said the invitation should be declined to protest “anti-immigration policies,” reflecting the exact language used in the Korean questionnaire.

The Dodgers last visited the White House in 2021, after winning the 2020 World Series and receiving an invitation from President Joe Biden. Groups aligned with Trump, which remained quiet at that time, have raised new objections following the start of the Trump second term.

When asked whether sports should remain separate from politics, 68% (310 respondents) agreed. Another 20.2% (92 respondents) said rejecting the invitation could serve as an expression of social responsibility, while 11.8% (54 respondents) said the answer “depends on the situation.”

Regarding potential impact on the team, 50.2% (229 respondents) said accepting the invitation would have “little impact.” By contrast, 32% (146 respondents) said declining the invitation could negatively affect the team’s image.

The survey was conducted on The Korea Daily website from November 7th to 17th. The month was not specified in the original article, and is therefore bracketed for editor confirmation.

BY YOONSEO SONG [song.yoonseo@koreadaily.com]