What Happened
Visa Dispute Raises Questions About Mutual Respect Between Allies
The chair of the National Defense Committee, Rep. Jin Sung-joon, expressed regret over the initial denial of his US visa, which was eventually issued after intervention from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The denial may be related to Jin’s 1991 conviction for violating the National Security Act. The incident has raised questions about the mutual respect and trust between the two allied nations. According to Korea JoongAng Daily, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the situation’s gravity and pledged to address it through consultations between the two countries.