"Even the Opposition Will Step Up"... People Power Party Heads to the US for 'Vaccine Diplomacy'

Visit to US Think Tank Wilson Center... "Establishing Korea-US Vaccine Partnership"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] The People Power Party will dispatch lawmakers Park Jin and Choi Hyung-doo to the United States on the 12th as its own delegation to secure vaccines. This move comes as a criticism of the government and ruling party's inadequate COVID-19 vaccine supply policy, with the opposition party intending to engage directly in vaccine diplomacy.

They held a press conference at the National Assembly on the 11th, stating, "To support the establishment of a strengthened Korea-US vaccine alliance partnership, the party has decided to send a delegation to the US," adding, "Lawmakers Park, the chair of the People Power Party’s Foreign Affairs and Security Special Committee, and Choi will visit the United States."

Invited by the Woodrow Wilson Center, a US foreign affairs and security think tank, the two will depart the next day and stay in Washington, US, for about a week to meet with officials and discuss vaccine cooperation measures between the two countries, including the 'Korea-US vaccine swap.'

The People Power Party proposed a resolution as a party stance the day before, urging the government to pursue a Korea-US vaccine swap to secure COVID-19 vaccines.

On the day, Lawmaker Park said, "As soon as Kim Ki-hyun, the acting party leader and floor leader, took office, he proposed a bipartisan parliamentary delegation to secure high-quality vaccines, but unfortunately, the Democratic Party of Korea did not clearly express a position on forming a cooperative delegation to the US." He added, "Now is the time for the government, National Assembly, and private sector to join hands and unite their efforts," explaining, "The People Power Party has formed its own delegation to open the way for vaccine diplomacy and strengthen the Korea-US alliance."

He further stated, "We will have broad discussions related to the Korea-US alliance, including vaccine issues, North Korea policy, the Quad (the informal security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific region among the US, Japan, Australia, and India), and Korea-US-Japan cooperation," emphasizing, "Based on the belief that there is no opposition in diplomacy and security, we plan to conduct bipartisan 'parliamentary diplomacy' in the national interest."

He also said, "The results of the US visit will be shared with the government and ruling party," stressing, "We will spare no effort as the opposition party to build a Korea-US vaccine partnership that protects the lives and safety of the people, including dispatching the delegation to the US, so that Korea can become a vaccine hub."

They stated that vaccine diplomacy should be conducted not only with the US but also with countries on all fronts. Lawmaker Park mentioned the visit of Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Economy Minister Amir Peretz to Korea that morning, saying, "Israel has already achieved herd immunity and has surplus vaccines," and added, "They expressed their willingness to help Korea."