Building on previous efforts, Senators launch Senate caucus marking 70th anniversary of U.S.-Korea alliance
Washington, D.C. — A bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators are launching the U.S. Senate Korea Caucus, marking the 70th anniversary of U.S.-ROK alliance this year.
This week, Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Todd Young (R-IN) launched the U.S. Senate Korea Caucus to advance and strengthen the relationship and alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea.
The Senate Korea Caucus will work across the aisle to advance policies deepening economic, security, cultural, and scientific ties between the two nations.
“I am a champion of the U.S.-Korea alliance and Georgia’s 100,000 strong Korean American community. That’s why we’re bringing together Republicans and Democrats to launch the Bipartisan Senate Korea Caucus,” Senator Jon Ossoff said.“I’ve led two successful economic delegations to Korea to attract more jobs and investment to Georgia and will continue to lead on U.S.-Korea relations.”
“I’ve just returned from Korea where I was promoting our common national and energy security interests, including in the Alaska LNG Project,” said Senator Dan Sullivan. “I look forward to working with my colleagues and the strong, patriotic Korean-American community in Alaska to deepen and strengthen this critical 70-year old alliance.”
“The Republic of Korea is one of our most important allies. We share a deep commitment to democratic principles, including civil rights, free elections, and press freedom, and we work closely together to protect our citizens against military threats. Our strategic cooperation includes everything from resisting economic coercion to increasing disaster preparedness in the Pacific Islands to eradicating disease in southeast Asia. And commercial ties between our nations support nearly half a million jobs. That’s why we’re launching this bipartisan caucus and why we’re committed to strengthening U.S.-ROK relations,” said Senator Brian Schatz.
“I am proud to join Senators Ossoff, Sullivan, and Schatz to establish the new bipartisan Senate Korea Caucus. As threats continue to increase from China and North Korea, it’s critical that the United States’ relationship with Korea is not only active, but strong. This caucus will bolster the U.S.-Korea alliance, develop strategies for countering mutual security and economic threats, and advocate for greater U.S.-Korea cooperation on preserving a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region,” said Senator Todd Young.
The Republic of Korea (ROK) is a major U.S. ally, and 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice and the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1953. For 70 years, the United States and the Republic of Korea have been partners and friends.
The Republic of Korea is the United States’ 6th largest goods trading partner with $127.2 billion in total goods traded during 2020. Korea’s FDI in the United States was $61.8 billion in 2019, supporting over 94,000 U.S. jobs.
In April, President Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for a historic Official State Visit in Washington, D.C., honoring the strong ties between the two nations and pledging to work closer together going forward.
Sen. Ossoff led his second economic delegation to Seoul in April to continue pushing for additional Korean investment in Georgia and establishing Georgia as the advanced manufacturing hub in the U.S.
Sen. Ossoff met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol as well as top South Korean government officials and business executives.
Sen. Ossoff’s first successful economic delegation to South Korea in November 2021 yielded economic results for Georgia families. In 2022 alone, following his trip, Hyundai, Hanwha Qcells, and SK invested over $8 billion in Georgia, creating over 10,000 jobs.
