Members of the Khmer community join King County Councilmembers after presentation of the recognition on April 15, 2025.
The King County Council on Tuesday recognized the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge genocide, honoring the millions of Cambodians who were killed, displaced, or impacted by the regime’s atrocities between 1975 and 1979.
An estimated 1.5 to 2 million people—about a quarter of Cambodia’s population—died under the Khmer Rouge, which forced residents from cities into labor camps where many faced torture, starvation and execution.
“King County is made stronger and more united by the rich experiences of the cultural communities that call this area home,” said Councilmember Jorge L. Barón, who co-sponsored the recognition.
More than 20,000 Khmer people live in the region, and King County is home to the third-largest Khmer population in the United States.
King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda said, “We are fortunate to have Cambodian multi-generational community leaders and elders from across Washington state that work together to reclaim cultural cornerstones nearly exterminated by the Khmer Rouge genocide and uplift their communities through education, cultural empowerment, and resiliency… I am grateful to the Khmer community who enrich our county’s culture through their own, and it is an honor to recognize this tragic anniversary; acknowledging that we must learn from the past if we hope to avoid repeating it.”