Top congressional leaders invite South Korea’s president to address Congress

Top congressional leaders invited South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to address a joint meeting of Congress on April 27 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the alliance between Washington and Seoul.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sent a letter to Yoon, dated Tuesday, inviting him to address lawmakers. It comes amid a bipartisan push on Capitol Hill to crack down on China.

“On behalf of the bipartisan leadership of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, it is our honor to invite you to address a Joint Meeting of Congress on Thursday, April 27, 2023,” the letter reads. “With this year marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between our two countries, it is an especially important time to reflect on the achievements of our partnership and to reaffirm our shared commitment to democracy, economic prosperity, and global peace.”

“The relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea is one of great importance and significance,” it added.

The quartet of congressional leaders said Yoon’s address before a joint meeting of Congress “would provide an ideal platform for you to share your vision for the future of the U.S.-Korea alliance and to highlight the progress that has been made in recent years.”

“We would be honored to host you at this historic event,” they continued. “Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to reinforcing the bonds between our two great nations. We look forward to welcoming you to the United States soon.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced last month that President Biden would host Yoon at the White House for a state visit — including a state dinner — on April 26, marking the second state visit of the Biden administration. French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to the U.S. for a state visit in December.

Biden also said the visit will mark the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-South Korea relationship.

“President Biden and President Yoon will highlight the importance and enduring strength of the ironclad U.S.-ROK alliance as well as the United States’ unwavering commitment to the ROK,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement. “The Presidents will discuss our shared resolve to deepen and broaden our political, economic, security, and people-to-people ties.”

The last foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who spoke to lawmakers in December.

The invitation for Yoon to address Congress comes after the president was caught on a hot-mic in September 2022 referring to congressional lawmakers as “idiots” after he met with Biden at a conference in New York City. Biden had said he would allocate $6 billion toward a public health campaign for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, which would require approval from Congress.

“It would be so humiliating for Biden if these idiots don’t pass it in Congress,” Yoon was heard telling aides as they were leaving the event, according to The Washington Post.

The presidential office in South Korea at the time said Yoon’s comments were not about the U.S. The president’s spokeswoman said he did not say Biden’s name, argued that his comment was heard incorrectly and contended that Yoon was talking about South Korea’s parliament, The Post reported.