Ruling party to send delegation to Ukraine after local elections

The chairperson of the ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP), Lee Jun-seok, delivers a speech for the Korean people ahead of the June 1 local elections at the National Assembly, Seoul, on May 24. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun

By Lee Hae-rin

The ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP) will send a delegation to Ukraine right after the June 1 local elections, the party said Monday. PPP leader Lee Jun-seok will lead the delegation.

According to the party's press release, Monday, the delegation, tentatively called “the Korea-Ukraine special envoy in solidarity for liberty and peace,” plans to visit the war-torn country in early June.

The delegation consists of its lawmakers, including Rep. Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat to the United Kingdom who defected to the South and became a politician and Rep. Park Seong-min, the chief secretary to the party chairman.

“The Korean people have felt sorry for the situation in Ukraine from deep down in their hearts, praying for an immediate peace,” the party said in its statement. “The delegation will visit the Ukrainian people and deliver them consolation on behalf of the Korean people.”

If the visit happens as scheduled, it will be the first official visit by a political party from an Asian country to Ukraine.

The delegation plans to have a face-to-face talk with key people in the Ukrainian government and visit hospitals and evacuation facilities.

The exact date and itinerary of the visit are currently under coordination with the Ukrainian authorities.

On April 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a virtual address to Korean lawmakers at the National Assembly, urging Korea to provide his country with arms to help it fight Russian forces.

After attending the video address, Lee had written on social media, “It is time for the ruling and opposition parties to come together to discuss humanitarian and more direct support (for Ukraine).”

Meanwhile, PPP Chairperson Lee is facing allegations of having received sexual favors from a businessperson in 2013 as a form of bribery. The PPP's ethics committee said it will take disciplinary action against him after the local elections.

Lee’s trip to Ukraine, however, remains uncertain.

Kang Yong-suk, a lawyer and an independent candidate running in the Gyeonggi gubernatorial election, has filed a request for a travel ban on Lee to the Central Prosecutors’ Office in Seoul. Kang, also a right-wing YouTuber, has raised the allegation that Lee received sexual favors on his YouTube channel, Hoverlab.

During the press conference held Monday in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, Kang said that Lee might attempt to flee the country to avoid the possible investigation, and urged the prosecution to impose a travel ban on him.