A full-page advertisement in the July 23 (local time) issue of The Hill, a political newspaper specializing in the U.S. Congress. It features an open letter urging President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio to take action to allow former Ambassador Morse Tan to return to the United States.

An open letter will be released urging U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to facilitate the return of former Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, Morse Tan.

Representing "The Coalition to Bring Ambassador Morse Tan Home," the Korea-US Alliance Foundation (KUSAF USA), the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Korean American Association (AKUS), and News & Post announced on the 22nd that they would publish the open letter as a full-page advertisement in the July 23 issue of The Hill.

The open letter calls upon President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea, and members of Congress to urge the South Korean government to lift the travel ban on former Ambassador-at-Large Morse H. Tan and allow him to return to the United States freely.

Although Ambassador Tan is a U.S. citizen and a Senate-confirmed former ambassador, South Korean authorities have restricted him from leaving the country in connection with a defamation investigation stemming from controversial political remarks, including those he made in the United States.

According to South Korean media reports on the 22nd (Korea time), the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Criminal Division 1) indicted him without detention on July 16 for defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and the Criminal Act. The fact that the prosecution had indicted him without detention was not publicly known until it was reported by the media.

As a result of his indictment without detention, it is reported that Ambassador Tan’s travel ban was further extended until August 15.

The open letter emphasizes that this is not a national security issue. Ambassador Tan has not been charged with violence, espionage, terrorism, or threats to public safety. The letter defines the travel ban on Ambassador Tan as a matter of grave concern regarding jurisdiction, freedom of speech, due process, consular protection, and the U.S.-ROK alliance.

Dr. In-Hwan Oh, chairman of the AKUS Washington D.C. chapter and representative of the coalition, stated, "A Senate-confirmed former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large should not be prevented from returning to his home country due to politically sensitive speeches. If the South Korean authorities take issue with Ambassador Tan's statements, they should refute them with facts and evidence. They should not exert pressure through travel restrictions based on political remarks allegedly made on U.S. soil."

The advertisement in The Hill reads, "Answer him with facts. Do not bind him with travel bans."

The advertisement asserts that investigations into election integrity, international observation, and political expression are legitimate democratic activities and should not serve as grounds for retaliation or travel restrictions.

The coalition also expressed concern regarding the timing of this matter. At the time the letter was drafted, media reports indicated that the travel ban was set to expire at the end of July, but there were concerns that it could be extended again, as it had been previously.

In reality, the prosecution's decision to indict without detention has indeed extended Ambassador Tan's travel ban until August 15, turning those concerns into reality.

The open letter calls for the following: 

The Hill, where the open letter is being published as an advertisement, is a prominent U.S. publication specializing in politics and Congress. It focuses on White House and federal policy, elections, and is widely regarded as one of the most-read publications among Washington politicians, bureaucrats, aides, and lobbyists. 

U.S. NNP = Chief Reporter Hong Sung-gu / Special Report by our publication NNP info@newsandpost.com