From Security to Commerce

[성김 대사]

I recently met with the leaders of two very important committees in the Korean National Assembly:  Defense and Foreign Affairs.  Given the National Assembly’s prominent role in Korea’s vibrant democracy, it is important for us to stay in close touch with Assemblymen who cover security and foreign policy matters, just as we maintain the strongest possible relationship with key Korean government officials and, of course, General Thurman and his team at U.S. Forces Korea.  

First, I met with the new leadership of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Ahn Hong-joon and Ranking Members Shim Jae-kwon and Chung Moon-hun.  The second meeting was with the new Chairman of the Defense Committee Yoo Seung-min and senior members Han Gi-ho and Ahn Kyu-baek.

Meeting Key Members of the National Assembly Defense Committee

Together we had open and frank discussions on many important issues of the day, including North Korea, domestic politics, alliance issues, regional relations, and economics and trade.  I shared my views and listened intently in order to learn as much as I could from their perspective and experience.  My next National Assembly engagement is with the leaders of the U.S.-Korea Parliamentarians Council; I am looking forward to a substantive exchange on U.S.-Korea relations and other important issues of mutual interest.    

As we remain vigilant on the security front and continue to work on strengthening our deterrent capability, we are also focused on expanding U.S.-Korea economic and trade ties.  The recent visit of Idaho Governor Butch Otter and his 27-person delegation is a great example of this effort.  Together, they represented a wide range of commercial interests, including agriculture, forestry and lumber products, personal care products, and banking and software for mobile devices.  Our terrific economic team at the Embassy and I were honored to support the delegation as they explored new trade and investment opportunities.  

Governor Otter Meeting American and Korean Businessmen

I did not know this, but of the $575 million in trade between Idaho and Korea, about 87% is high-tech.  Those numbers are up about 7.5 percent from last year.  And based on the great work of Governor Otter’s group while they were here, I am confident that these ties will continue to grow.

Idaho is a great, diverse state to visit.  Besides being the potato capital of the world, did you know that Arco, Idaho, was the first city lit by atomic energy back in 1955?  It is also where the Navy first developed nuclear submarine technology.  Idaho is home to the first ski resort in the United States, world-famous Sun Valley, where one of my favorite authors Ernest Hemingway lived until his death.  And don’t forget the 166-meter-deep, 410-meter-wide Snake River Canyon near Shoshone Falls, which daredevil Evel Knievel attempted to jump over in September 1974!  More recently, Idaho was the location for the hilarious sleeper hit movie “Napoleon Dynamite.”

We had several productive visits by state trade delegations over the past year, and I hope to see more state delegations come explore opportunities presented by our historic U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.