Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Parliamentary leaders to visit Washington next week
Parliamentary leaders hold hands after having a meeting at the National Assembly last Dec. 3. From left are Party for Democracy and Peace leader Rep. Chung Dong-young, main opposition Liberty Korea Party interim leader Kim Byong-joon, National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang, ruling Democratic Party of Korea leader Rep. Lee Hae-chan, Bareunmirae Party leader Sohn Hak-kyu and Justice Party leader Rep. Lee Jeong-mi. / Korea Times file
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang and leaders of ruling and opposition parties will travel to the U.S. next week to meet policymakers and experts on North Korea there.
Moon and party leaders Reps. Lee Hae-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Na Kyung-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), Kim Kwan-young of the minor Bareunmirae Party, Chung Dong-young of the Party for Democracy and Peace and Lee Jeong-mi of the Justice Party plan to visit Washington, D.C., from Feb. 11 to 15 to discuss ways to strengthen ties between the two countries as well as the means for seeking denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The itinerary is not fixed yet but an Assembly official said the delegation will meet with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and chairs of House Foreign Affairs Committee and Armed Services Committee. The delegation will also meet with correspondents in Washington while Moon will make a speech at the Korea Society in New York.
The move comes before a second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled to be held in Vietnam Feb. 27 and 28. Meanwhile, expectations are high that they will reach an agreement during the trip on domestic issues including resuming the Assembly's regular session.
A ruling party official said U.S. politicians asked South Korean politicians questions about the political situation in South Korea ahead of the summit.
Earlier, Moon met with U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris to discuss issues of mutual interest and asked the U.S. envoy for advice on how to effectively communicate with U.S. politicians and experts who are pessimistic about North Korea's determination to denuclearize.
Harris reportedly said that such pessimistic views also exist in South Korean society and that he will have a good outcome if he engages passionately with dialogue partners.
Last July, the floor leaders of the five parties visited Washington to discuss North Korean nuclear issues and the possibility of U.S. tariffs on South Korean cars with U.S. lawmakers and industry officials.
They met with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy John Rood at that time.