Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) in this file photo. Korea Times file

A U.S. lawmaker on Tuesday expressed expectation that South Korea would support Taiwan in the event of a contingency in the Taiwan Strait, but pointed out Seoul's overarching concerns over the "immediate" threats from North Korea.

Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, made the remarks, stressing that Taiwan matters as a "beacon" of democracy at a time when she claimed China has a long-term ambition to become the "dominant economic and military superpower."

"While they (South Korea) will, I believe, be there with the United States if something happens in the Taiwan Strait, but remember that South Korea is faced with the immediate threat of North Korea," she said at a forum hosted by the Hudson Institute.

"So protecting the security concerns on the Korean Peninsula is probably the No. 1 concern in their mind," she added.

Kim, a Korean American lawmaker, was referring to South Korea's potential role in the event of a contingency concerning Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that China claims is part of its territory. Beijing has threatened to take over the island by force if necessary.

"Not caring for Taiwan and moving any support will be a grave mistake," she said. "We need to stay in Taiwan and continue to be engaged and work on contingency efforts."

Kim also warned that Chinese President Xi Jinping might look beyond Taiwan should Taiwan not be protected.

"We know Xi Jinping is not going to stop at Taiwan. All the other countries in the Indo-Pacific are at risk," she said.

She also stressed that Taiwan matters due to its role as a hub for semiconductor manufacturing.

"If there is a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, obviously, our economy is going to be threatened. It is going to be a national security concern," she said.

Kim went on to say that anything that happens overseas "affects us in all fields," as she underscored the need to back Taiwan's security.

"When we look at these conflicts around the world, I am really glad that Japan and South Korea have agreed to get beyond the historical challenges and moved ahead, looking forward," she said,

She was referring to improved relations between Seoul and Tokyo after a thaw in heightened tensions over historical issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)