A Recent Arrival To National Politics

YOUNG WON CHO, a Korean-American electrical contractor in Glenview, Ill., says he has lived in the United States 28 years. But his deep involvement in national politics has only come recently.

"I'm a minority," he said as he sat with the Illinois delegation. "For survival, we must participate in the political process."

Why as a Democrat?

"I'm not rich; I'm just a working person," he said, explaining in heavily accented English that Democrats are more concerned about working people and civil rights.

"Republicans are not as serious about the minority because they are rich. They don't understand the poor people, minorities, the anger. Rich people cannot understand low peoples' situation."

Bill Clinton, in particular, he finds strong on minority issues. With Mr. Clinton leading the party ticket, he finds the Democrats neither conservative nor liberal, but "just the middle."

The Clinton delegate is especially concerned about forging better relations between his community and blacks over their common interest as ethnic minorities.

The Democratic Party is the best place to do that, he says.

"After the L.A. riots, there is much need to participate."