US State Department on South Korean Lawmakers' Visa Issues: 'We Will Resolve It, Involves Actions from Decades Ago'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated yesterday (October 31) that the issues regarding the denial of US entry visas for some South Korean lawmakers will be resolved through bilateral consultations between South Korea and the United States.

During a press conference at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia, in response to a question concerning concerns in South Korea over potential tensions in bilateral relations stemming from South Korean lawmakers' visa issues, Secretary Rubio replied, "We will resolve the visa issue."

He continued, "There was a visa issue with a specific individual, and I think it was related to actions from a couple decades ago."

Previously, controversy arose when official visa applications submitted by Rep. Jung Chung-rae, a former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Rep. Jin Sung-joon, the chairperson of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee from the same party, were denied.

Secretary Rubio's remarks are interpreted as pointing to the case of Rep. Jin on this day.

In particular, the "actions from decades ago" he mentioned are widely seen as referring to Rep. Jin being sentenced to three years in prison and three years of suspension of qualifications in 1991 for violating the National Security Act.

Secretary Rubio emphasized, "We will resolve that issue on a bilateral basis, not at a press conference."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.