South Korean President Yoon invited to address joint meeting of Congress

Congressional leaders have invited South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol to address a joint meeting of Congress when he visits the United States later this month, to mark the 70-year anniversary of the alliance between the two countries.

Yoon was invited to address Congress on April 27, in a letter sent this week that was signed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

“The relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea is one of great importance and significance,” the leaders of the House and Senate wrote. “Your leadership has been instrumental in strengthening this partnership, and we believe the Joint Meeting 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.”

It has become a modern tradition for foreign leaders to address a joint meeting of Congress, if invited, during their formal state visits to the United States. Since President Biden took office, there have been two such addresses — one by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last year during a surprise visit to Washington.

Zelensky also made a virtual address to an informal meeting of Congress last March, in the earliest weeks of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, pleading with U.S. lawmakers for security assistance, as well as fighter jets and a “humanitarian no-fly zone” over Ukraine. In July, Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska also addressed an informal meeting of Congress, making a rare personal appeal as the wife of a foreign leader for the United States to provide Ukraine with more arms to counter the Russian invasion of her country.

Yoon, who took office last May with no previous political or foreign policy experience, would be addressing a joint meeting of Congress for the first time.

In a trip to the United States last fall, Yoon was caught on a hot mic insulting Congress members as “idiots” who could be a potential embarrassment for Biden if they did not approve funding for global public health.

At the time, Yoon had just met with Biden at the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment Conference in New York City. There, Biden had pledged $6 billion from the United States to the public health campaign, which fights AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria worldwide. The funding required congressional approval.

“It would be so humiliating for Biden if these idiots don’t pass it in Congress,” Yoon was overheard telling a group of aides as they left the event. Video of the exchange quickly went viral in South Korea. Yoon’s office denied that his remarks were targeted at the United States.

Congress ultimately approved the funding.