“I formed hotline with US Republican Party leadership”: Korean Far-right leader refuses to specify US officials whom he met with secretly

Jang Dong-hyuk, leader of the People Power Party, who returned to Korea on the 20th after completing an eight-day, ten-night visit to the United States, stated, “We have established a practical hotline with key figures in the U.S. Republican Party and laid a foundation of trust to support the wavering Korea–U.S. alliance.” However, he did not disclose specifically whom he met.

At a press conference held at the National Assembly on the same day regarding his U.S. trip, Jang said, “I had deep concerns before deciding to visit the United States ahead of the local elections and fully anticipated the controversy it might cause. Nevertheless, I made this difficult decision because South Korea is facing a serious crisis due to a series of diplomatic failures by the Lee Jae-myung administration.” He added, “Throughout the trip, I focused on national interests and did my best to carry out strategic party diplomacy,” emphasizing that “I met with key figures in the U.S. government, including the White House and the State Department, to discuss major economic issues such as trade negotiations and also opened channels of communication for continued cooperation.”

Regarding the outcomes of his visit, Jang stated, “First, amid rapidly changing international circumstances due to the Iran war, the United States is strongly requesting that South Korea, as an allied partner, play a role commensurate with its economic and international standing.” He continued, “They were also curious about the authenticity of recent remarks by President Lee Jae-myung regarding Israel. I was able to confirm that the U.S. is taking the South Korean president’s statements very seriously.”

On issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, he said, “The United States views North Korea’s nuclear problem and its recent series of missile launches as extremely serious,” adding, “Among the U.S. administration officials and members of Congress I met, there was not a single person who supported a conciliatory policy toward North Korea.”

Regarding trade negotiations, Jang said, “The U.S. side repeatedly expressed concerns about our government’s policies, including the recent Coupang-related issue,” adding, “There was a strong perception that American companies are being treated less favorably compared to Chinese companies.”