Letter to U.S. Congressional Leaders Calls for Follow-up Measures
Incident Attributed to Inadequate Visa System
Concerns Raised Over Decline in Investment and Human Exchange
On September 12, Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Wonsik sent a letter to the Speakers of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, urging swift resolution of the recent detention of Korean nationals in Georgia and requesting follow-up measures, including the establishment of a visa quota for Korean professionals.
On this day, Speaker Woo sent the letter to key leaders of the U.S. Congress, including Vice President and President of the Senate James David Vance and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
According to the contents of the letter released by the National Assembly, Speaker Woo stated, "Given Korea's contribution to the economic and industrial development of the United States and the friendly relations between our two countries, I respectfully request your special attention to ensure that our citizens are treated fairly and with dignity." He further explained, "One of the fundamental causes of this incident is the lack of an adequate visa system for skilled Korean professionals dispatched to the United States for local factory construction."
He continued, "To prevent the recurrence of similar incidents in the future and to enable Korean companies to expand their investments in the United States in a legal and transparent manner, it is urgent to establish an institutional foundation." He added, "We request that the U.S. Congress actively consider and support the creation of a visa quota for Korean professionals."
Speaker Woo also conveyed the shock felt by the Korean people regarding this incident. He said, "The image of Korean workers being detained in chains during the recent crackdown, as reported by the media, has caused considerable shock and anger among our citizens." He pointed out, "There is deep concern that such public sentiment could negatively affect the traditional alliance between Korea and the United States, including a decline in Korean companies' willingness to invest in the U.S. and a reduction in human exchanges."
Speaker Woo also emphasized that such measures could contribute to the development of bilateral relations. He stated, "We hope to further deepen cooperation between our two countries and to create an investment environment that guarantees legal stability and predictability." He reiterated his request for "in-depth discussions and active cooperation at the congressional level."
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