WASHINGTON Twenty Korean-American elected officials sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Thursday urging him to avoid dangerous language on North Korea and to instead focus on a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the tensions between Washington and Pyongyang.

While we agree that measures must be taken to reduce or end the tensions on the Korean peninsula, they wrote, we respectfully urge you to reconsider the way you and your Administration are reacting to this situation by avoiding dangerous language that could end up unnecessarily escalating the conflicts even more.

They also urge Trump to fully staff your State Department with policy experts who understand the Korean peninsula.

The letter marks the first time Korean-American elected officials have joined together to speak publicly on a national issue, according to Virginia Del. Mark Keam, who spearheaded the effort with Philadelphia City Council member Helen Gym.

Earlier this week, Trump threatened to rain fire, fury the likes of which this world has never seen before down on North Korea. Keam and Gym, both Democrats , realized they needed to bring Korean-Americans perspectives to the presidents attention.

I think its incredibly important, especially as Im watching generals, war hawks and pundits talk about Asia and its people as pretty much disposable collateral damage, Gym told HuffPost.

The letter notes that there are 1.8 million Korean-Americans in the United States. While they make up one of the fastest-growing immigrant communities in the country and the fifth-largest Asian community, there are no Korean-Americans serving in Congress.

Someone needed to share Korean-Americans concerns about the prospect of a new war on the Korean peninsula, Keam told HuffPost. Considering the lack of Korean-American political representation at the national level, he and Gym thought, Why not us?

I kind of realized, maybe me being a state legislator, maybe I am in a position where I have a little bit of an obligation to speak, not on behalf of everybody, but at least raise a concern that I know they have, Keam said.

A war between the U.S. and North Korea particularly a nuclear war would likely cause millions of casualties in both North and South Korea. But that point is often dismissed by the president, his White House aides and pro-war members of Congress.

Last week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that If theres going to be a war to stop [Kim Jong Un], it will be over there. If thousands die, theyre going to die over there . Theyre not going to die here.

Many Korean-Americans are first- or second-generation immigrants with close relatives on the Korean peninsula. They dont see their family members as collateral damage. And theyre not only worried about potential deaths in South Korea, but in the North as well.