South Korean lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties, business leaders and local government leaders have converged in Washington, DC, for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Their goals are to address US concerns over South Korea’s political turbulence, ensure Korea's voice and position are reflected in Trump’s key foreign, security, economic and trade policies, and explore ways to strengthen strategic partnerships across sectors.
This multilevel effort -- spanning the National Assembly, the business sector and municipal governments -- is unfolding as South Korea’s leader-level engagement with Trump remains frozen under the acting president system, a result of now-suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Dec. 3 botched imposition of martial law.
Yoon, suspended and now under formal arrest since early Sunday morning, had attempted to pursue an early summit with Trump, going so far as to say he had been practicing his golf game in anticipation of a potential round with the US president-elect.
Trump, known for valuing personal connections with foreign leaders, extended invitations to some international dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, for his inauguration -- a rare departure from the event’s traditionally domestic focus.
China will send Vice President Han Zheng, while Japan will dispatch Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
However in South Korea's case, Ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong will represent the Korean government at Trump’s inauguration, reflecting the absence of leader-level diplomacy. The Foreign Ministry in Seoul confirmed Thursday that Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul has not been invited but plans for his visit to the US "at the earliest possible time" are in the works.
Lawmakers join in greater numbers than 2017
Seven lawmakers from the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee form the bipartisan official delegation attending Trump’s inauguration.
Representing the ruling People Power Party, the official delegation includes Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee Chair Rep. Kim Seok-ki, alongside Reps. Yoon Sang-hyun, Kim Gi-hyeon and Ihn Yo-han. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea will be represented by Reps. Cho Jeong-sik, Kim Young-bae and Hong Kee-won.
In addition, the People Power Party of its own accord organized a separate delegation for Trump's inauguration, comprised of Reps. Na Kyung-won, Kang Min-kuk, Cho Jung-hun and Kim Dai-sik.
Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the People Power Party will attend the inauguration independently.
Even local government leaders attempted to jump on the bandwagon, with Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok set to attend the inauguration individually as well.
Compared to President Trump’s first inauguration in January 2017, when only the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and representatives from the ruling and opposition parties attended, the number of South Korean officials attending the inauguration both officially and of their own accord has multiplied.
Kim Seok-ki, leading the bipartisan official delegation, stated that the group aims to demonstrate the resilience of South Korea’s political system and its ability to function stably under an acting president, addressing US concerns about the country’s government and ongoing political developments.
The delegation’s visit comes after Yoon was formally arrested with the issuing of a new warrant early Sunday -- making him the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested -- after he was taken into custody Wednesday on a 48-hour detention warrant.
“Nevertheless, I will convey that, despite operating under an acting government system, we are managing state affairs stably and in full adherence to the constitutional framework,” Kim told Korean media upon his arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport on Saturday.
The official delegation is set to stay in the US until Wednesday, engaging with government officials and members of Congress to discuss key issues, including North Korea, the alliance and strategies to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries.
However, Rep. Wi Sung-lac of the Democratic Party, a veteran diplomat, previously criticized that “the US presidential inauguration is not an appropriate time for parliamentary diplomacy,” expressing opposition to the wave of visits by Korean lawmakers.
Wi explained that it is a challenging time for foreign dignitaries to arrange meetings with US government and congressional officials, as they are preoccupied with hosting figures traveling to Washington from across the nation.
Furthermore, due to the cold weather, Trump’s inauguration will be moved indoors, reducing available space and casting doubt on whether all the Korean lawmakers will be able to attend.
Economic uncertainties take center stage
Kim Seok-ki also emphasized the delegation’s intention to address concerns of South Korean corporations regarding economic uncertainties, particularly the possibility of any revisions to the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, which would carry implications for South Korea’s semiconductor, electric vehicle and battery industries.
“We will ensure that South Korea’s position on matters such as the IRA and the CHIPS Act is clearly conveyed to members of Congress, government officials and research institutions, so our companies can avoid potential losses and invest with confidence and security.”
Rep. Na Kyung-won will lead the conservative People Power Party’s separate delegation on a visit to the US from Saturday to Thursday.
Na said the delegation will work to protect South Korean companies from the impact of US policies like the IRA and CHIPS Act, while exploring ways to strengthen economic and trade ties through meetings with Trump’s aides, Congress members and Washington think tanks.
“At this critical juncture with the launch of President Trump’s second administration, delivering and persuading the incoming administration on our stance in shaping the direction of South Korea-related security, economic and trade policies is an extremely important diplomatic task for our national interests,” Na wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday.
Business leaders are also set to attend Trump’s inauguration, including Chung Yong-jin, chair of retail giant Shinsegae Group; Ryu Jin, chair of Poongsan Group and head of the Federation of Korean Industries; Woo Oh-hyun, chair of SM Group; Hur Young-in, chair of SPC Group; Bom Kim, founder and CEO of Coupang; and Choi Joon-ho, vice chair of Hyungji Group.
