Washington, D.C. – Tonight, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) delivered remarks on the House floor ahead of the Republic of Korea’s President Moon Jae-in’s visit to the United States. Below are the video and transcript of Chairman Royce’s remarks.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome President Moon of South Korea to the United States of America as he makes his inaugural visit here later this week.

President Moon’s trip comes at a critical time – a critical time for America’s strategic relationship with South Korea.  And I look forward to welcoming him to Capitol Hill.

The friendship between our two nations, which was forged during the Korean War, has withheld the test of time.  It has withstood so many challenges.  The people of South Korea have persevered in the face of incredible adversity.  They’ve succeeded in building a modern, prosperous nation.  And today, we stand together in defense of democracy, and freedom, and prosperity.  And the strength of our friendship is now more important than ever as we face growing challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

As the President begins his visit, let’s recognize the contributions of Korean Americans to the relationship between our two countries.  The close bond that Korean Americans have for South Korea, the country of their heritage, creates a strong sense of community that extends across the Pacific Ocean.  This is the keystone in the bridge of our alliance.

Mr. Speaker, I welcome President Moon, and I look forward to our meeting.”

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