Regarding the visit of Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, and his delegation to Washington D.C. from the 14th to the 16th, the International Republican Institute (IRI), initially identified as the inviting entity, has issued a statement.

According to the statement sent to News & Post by IRI, IRI will host a private roundtable meeting with Leader Jang in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, April 15th, lasting 90 minutes.

"The roundtable will review key issues, including the current state of the ROK-U.S. alliance," IRI added, "and it will be an opportunity to freely share views on shared democratic values and explore ways to strengthen cooperation."

According to Korean media reports, prominent Republicans are expected to attend the meeting, including Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), Chair of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as Reps. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Mike Kelly (R-PA). The mentioned representatives are key Republican members of the House's 'Korea Caucus'.

However, unlike reports from South Korea, IRI introduced itself in its statement as a "non-profit, non-partisan organization" and stated, "IRI does not operate programs within South Korea and focuses on promoting human rights in North Korea (DPRK)."

IRI specifically elaborated, "As a non-profit, non-partisan institution, we do not engage in U.S. domestic politics, nor do we interfere with U.S. government policy-making."

This statement reflects the domestic interest in South Korea surrounding Leader Jang's participation in IRI's private roundtable, indicating a caution against excessive concerns or expectations.

Leader Jang and his delegation are scheduled to attend a Korean diaspora gathering hosted by Linda Han, president of the Association of Korean-American Organizations of the Mid-Atlantic, on the 14th. In a phone conversation with News & Post, Ms. Han stated, "We have requested a lecture on diaspora policy," and explained that the event would be held privately, away from the press, considering the sensitive timing and South Korean election laws.

Apart from these two events, the rest of the schedule has not yet been disclosed. IRI also stated that they are not involved in any other activities beyond the private roundtable.

Amidst the local elections in June and deepening internal conflicts within the South Korean conservative camp, some are suggesting that the largely undisclosed nature of Leader Jang's U.S. visit warrants attributing greater significance to his activities.

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Correspondent, NNP U.S. / Special Contribution to this paper NNP info@newsandpost.com