Jung Cheong-rae, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, has changed his planned trip for the upcoming national audit from the United States to Europe after failing to receive a U.S. visa by October 8.
According to reports from political circles and MBN, the U.S. State Department had not issued a visa for Jung as of that date.
The committee is scheduled to visit the U.S., Brazil, Colombia, and Canada from October 11 to 22 for an inspection of overseas diplomatic missions.
Other members of the committee have either completed their visa processes or plan to travel using the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA).
On Facebook, Jung explained, "I was supposed to participate in the audit as part of the committee, but I received a report from my staff that my visa is still under review at the State Department. I could not wait any longer in this uncertain situation, so I urgently applied to change my destination to Europe." He added, "Since it is still under review, I have no choice but to go to Europe for the audit. I don't know the reason for the delay, and I am disappointed."
Jung noted that he had previously visited the U.S. in 2012 to conduct a national audit and met with U.S. lawmakers, including Steve Chabot, chair of the Asia-Pacific Subcommittee, to discuss issues related to the Korean Peninsula. He also visited the home of former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Donald Gregg.
In October 2013, while serving as a re-elected member of the National Assembly, Jung was also part of the committee's U.S. delegation but was unable to obtain a visa. At that time, he speculated that his participation in the 1989 U.S. Embassy occupation might have affected his visa application, stating, "If that were the case, I should not have received a visa last year (2012) either."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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