ED US visa rejections risk damaging alliance with Korea
Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the National Assembly's Defense Committee makes opening remarks before the start of the parliamentary audit of the 1st Fighter Wing in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Oct. 14. Jin's Oct. 12 visa application for a U.S. visit was rejected. Yonhap
Eroding trust and respect undermines Seoul-Washington alliance
Under President Donald Trump's administration, stricter immigration policies have led to an increase in the U.S. rejecting visa applications for visitors from around the globe. It is one thing for a government to reject potentially dangerous travelers, but it is another matter when the applicants are lawmakers from allied countries whose travel is halted by a visa denial.
Rep. Jin Sung-joon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and chairman of South Korea's National Assembly Defense Committee saw his visa application, submitted on Oct. 12, rejected. He planned to visit the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii from Sunday to Thursday with a delegation of members from the defense committee.
"It disregards the standing of Korea’s National Assembly and undermines the mutual respect and trust that form the foundation of the U.S.-Korea alliance," Jin wrote in a Facebook post after the rejection.
Former DPK chairman Rep. Jung Chung-rae also had his U.S. visa application denied ahead of his planned visit to the United States for a parliamentary audit of Seoul's diplomatic mission.
Refusals of visas — in this case A-2 official visas for ranking ruling party lawmakers — are not a common occurrence. The denials are especially unusual given the long path the United States and Korea have walked together as allies. Repeated refusals have prompted speculation in Seoul that Washington may be using the visa denials to signal its discontent.
Sticking points in several issues, including the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul and the role of U.S. forces in South Korea have created the appearance of a rift that Seoul has sought to characterize as part of a “normal” relationship between the two countries.
There are also perceived differences over trade issues, including the U.S. company Coupang and concerns in Washington that the Lee Jae Myung administration is taking a more progressive approach, particularly in its relations with China. These points of friction persist even as Lee reiterates a pragmatic approach to diplomacy and a strong emphasis on the Korea-U.S. alliance.
The refusal of B-1 and B2 visitor visas for Koreans also increased in 2025. Based on data from the foreign ministry submitted to Rep. Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party, a total of 24.73 percent of Korean U.S. visa applicants had their applications rejected, a rise of 9.76 percent over 2024 numbers. That means 1 out of 4 Koreans applying for a U.S. visa last year had it denied.
The A-2 visas sought by Jin and Jung are intended for official visits, although applications are still subject to consular screening. Both were student activists in the 1980s and 1990s, but neither had encountered difficulties during previous official visits to the United States.
Even taking into account the rigorous screening system, it is not an ordinary turn of events to see parliamentarians have their U.S. visa applications turned down. Any differences between the two allies should be addressed through direct, face-to-face consultations rather than by preventing such meetings from taking place. For Korea, one of Washington’s few treaty allies on the Asian continent, the denials are an extraordinary development that risks unnecessarily inflaming tensions and perceptions of a widening rift.
The two countries’ ambassadors have also acknowledged challenges in the relationship. Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-wha told a recent parliamentary audit that she faced “limitations” in communicating with the White House. The embassy later clarified that her remarks reflected a desire for more frequent communication with U.S. officials. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel recently described bilateral relations as being in “turbulence.”
As the geopolitical and geosecurity landscape shifts amid heightened global uncertainty, alliances may invariably be put to the test. Still, Korea is a longtime alliance partner of the U.S. It remains a dedicated security and economic partner. Both sides should therefore avoid actions that could be perceived as deliberate slights or attempts to pressure one another over differences. Mutual respect and trust are essential to strengthening the alliance.