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Korea Herald
21-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Ex-US Congress members tour Korea to boost cultural, economic relations
A delegation of former US Congress members is visiting Korea to strengthen Korea-US ties by deepening bilateral cultural and economic understanding. The delegation arrived in Korea on May 14, invited by the Kim Chang-joon US-Korea Foundation. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2011 by former US Representative Jay Kim Chang-joon, a Republican who represented California's 41st District in Riverside County from 1992 to 1998. This year's 12-member bipartisan delegation includes seven former lawmakers and their spouses. The Republican participants are Greg Pence of Indiana, John Katko of New York, and Vicky Hartzler of Missouri. The Democratic members include John Sarbanes of Maryland, Brenda Lawrence of Michigan, and Kwanza Hall of Georgia. During their visit, the delegation took part in several cultural and economic activities. On Thursday, they visited the World Taekwondo Headquarters, also known as Kukkiwon, where they learned about the traditional Korean martial art. The following day, the group visited the factory of electrolyte manufacturer Enchem in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, to show support for the company's expansion plans in the US. On Saturday, the delegation experienced Korean temple cuisine during a visit to Jingwansa, a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Seoul. On Sunday, they traveled to Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, a city renowned for its UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites. There, they met with Gyeongju City Mayor Joo Nak-young and expressed support for the city's hosting of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. This Thursday, the group is scheduled to attend a banquet at Passion Gukbap, a franchise restaurant operated by Passion Korea that specializes in gukbap, a traditional Korean dish of rice served in hot soup. The 10-day trip will conclude on Saturday. Since 2019, the Kim Chang-joon US-Korea Foundation has invited former US lawmakers on eight occasions in cooperation with the Association of Former Members of Congress, in an ongoing effort to strengthen Korea-US relations.
Korea Herald
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Ex-US lawmakers to visit Korea to foster stronger connections
A delegation of former US Congress members affiliated with the association of Former Members of Congress is set to visit South Korea for a ten-day trip from this Wednesday through May 24, according to industry sources on Friday. The visit, organized at the invitation of the Kim Chang-joon US-Korea Foundation, marks the group's latest engagement in a series of exchanges that began in 2019. The foundation, led by former US Congress representative Jay Kim Chang-joon, a Republican who once represented California's 41st District in Riverside County, has hosted FMC delegations on more than eight occasions since then. The upcoming delegation will include seven former lawmakers — four Republicans and three Democrats. Alongside Kim, the Republican participants are Greg Pence of Indiana, John Katko of New York state and Vicky Jo Hartzler of Missouri. The Democratic House members include John Sarbanes of Maryland, Brenda Lawrence of Michigan and Kwanza Hall of Georgia. During their stay, the delegation is scheduled to meet with the Speaker of the Korean National Assembly, visit the World Taekwondo Headquarters, tour the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom and hold meetings with local government officials. In addition, the group of ex-lawmakers plans to visit approximately five major Korean conglomerates, although the names of these companies have not been disclosed. On May 22, the group is slated to dine at Passion Gukbap, a franchise restaurant operated by Passion Korea. Chon Kyung-hun, founder and CEO of Passion Gukbap, will reportedly attend the meal and introduce the delegates to gukbap, a beloved Korean dish of rice in hot soup. The Kim Chang-joon US-Korea Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011 by Kim — the first Korean American elected to the US House of Representatives—aims to strengthen US-Korea relations. Kim served three consecutive two-year terms in Congress from 1993 to 1999. The FMC, to which Kim belongs, is a bipartisan, nonprofit group established with congressional approval in 1983. It comprises former members of both the US House and Senate and serves as a platform for ongoing dialogue with current lawmakers, governors, diplomats and senior policy aides. Since organizing its first delegation in 2019, the foundation has witnessed growing interest in Korea among FMC members, with participation expanding from 11 delegates in 2019 to 13 in 2022.
