[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 149 (Thursday, November 10, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2324]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     LEGISLATION TO MAKE SOUTH KOREA A VISA WAIVER PROGRAM COUNTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 10, 2005

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the Republic of Korea has long 
been a staunch ally and friend of the United States. In the last few 
years, South Koreans have been one of our strongest partners in the 
global war on terror. They have shown their commitment by supporting 
continued operations in Afghanistan. In line with the U.S. and Great 
Britain, South Korea committed the 3rd largest number of troops to 
support the efforts of our Armed Forces in Iraq. Korea has also adopted 
economic policies that have helped them become the world's eleventh 
largest economy, the United States' seventh largest trading partner, 
and the fifth largest market for United States agricultural products.
  In recognition of this steadfast friendship and unique relationship 
our nation has with the Republic of Korea, I am introducing legislation 
to make South Korea a Visa Waiver Program country. Under the Visa 
Waiver Program, a traveler to the United States, either for business or 
pleasure, can enter the country for up to ninety days without obtaining 
a visa. This courtesy has already been extended to United States 
citizens by the South Korean government. Currently, twenty-seven 
countries are on the visa waiver list, ranging from France and Japan to 
Brunei and Slovenia.
  The United States is home to over two million people of Korean 
heritage. By placing South Korea on the Visa Waiver Program list, we 
would make it easier friends and family the opportunity to visit our 
country and strengthen relationships with their loved ones. Currently, 
if a friend or family member wants to visit someone in the U.S. they 
must apply for a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, requiring travel to 
the capital city where the process often takes up to two weeks to 
complete. For many family and friends the process is too expensive and 
onerous to complete. Allowing the Republic of Korea into the waiver 
program will streamline this process, granting our South Korean friends 
the same opportunity to visit our country as people from our other 
allied nations.
  Placing Korea on the visa waiver country list would have a positive 
impact on our economy. More than 626,000 Korean citizens visit the 
United States each year. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 
overall tourism dollars spent in the U.S. by tourists from the Republic 
of Korea exceeded $1 billion in fiscal year 2004. Visitation and 
tourism dollars are bound to grow if South Korea is allowed to be a 
part of the Visa Waiver Program.
  To curb any potential abuses, the South Korean government is taking 
aggressive steps to comply with post 9/11 security requirements to 
combat visa fraud. South Korea has already invested in state of the art 
technology and currently issues secure machine readable passports with 
digitalized photographs that are difficult to counterfeit. By 2007, e-
passports will be introduced with biometric identifiers in compliance 
with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
  Economically, militarily and politically, the U.S. and South Korean 
share a vision of freedom and democracy that has made our nations solid 
friends and allies. In recognition of this friendship and our shared 
history, it is time to ease the restrictions Korean citizens encounter 
when they attempt to visit our nation, which has strong cultural ties 
to the people of Korea.

                          ____________________