Lee and U.S. lawmakers discuss Middle East conflict, Korean investments
Published: 31 Mar. 2026, 18:59
Updated: 31 Mar. 2026, 19:57
-
- SARAH KIM
- [email protected]
![President Lee Jae Myung, center, poses for a photo with a bipartisan delegation of U.S. House lawmakers at the Blue House in central Seoul on March 31. The U.S. delegation was comprised of Reps. Ami Bera, Democrat of California, Ryan Zinke, Republican of Montana, Mark Pocan, Democrat of Wisconsin, Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat of Pennsylvania, Jill Tokuda, Democrat of Hawaii, and Patrick Harrigan, Republican of North Carolina. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/31/92e11028-272c-4040-a818-837f2519566e.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, center, poses for a photo with a bipartisan delegation of U.S. House lawmakers at the Blue House in central Seoul on March 31. The U.S. delegation was comprised of Reps. Ami Bera, Democrat of California, Ryan Zinke, Republican of Montana, Mark Pocan, Democrat of Wisconsin, Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat of Pennsylvania, Jill Tokuda, Democrat of Hawaii, and Patrick Harrigan, Republican of North Carolina. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
Lee and the U.S. lawmakers exchanged views on the Middle East situation and the Korean Peninsula issues and "agreed that regional peace and stability must be firmly maintained based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a statement.
"The whole world is facing a very complex and difficult situation, so I am grateful for your interest in Korea," Lee told the six-member delegation from the U.S. House of Representatives at the Blue House in central Seoul. "Like countries around the world, we are also facing many difficulties due to the recent war in the Middle East."
He then asked for their "opinions on the progress of the situation" or any advice they had for Korea as the war enters its second month following U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory measures, leading to global concerns over stable energy supplies.
The U.S. delegation was comprised of House Reps. Ami Bera, a Democrat of California, Ryan Zinke, Republican of Montana, Mark Pocan, Democrat of Wisconsin, Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat of Pennsylvania, Jill Tokuda, Democrat of Hawaii, and Patrick Harrigan, Republican of North Carolina. The lawmakers are members of the U.S. Congressional Study Group on Korea, co-chaired by Bera, a ranking member of the House Subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific.
Lee explained that the Korean government is preemptively activating a governmental emergency economic response system to minimize the impact of the Middle East war on the economy and the lives of the people, and to address potential greater crises in the future, Kang said.
![President Lee Jae Myung, left, shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, a Democrat of California, as a U.S. delegation visits the Blue House in central Seoul on March 31. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/31/5f383a25-5035-42cc-9f38-3357e6615f60.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung, left, shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, a Democrat of California, as a U.S. delegation visits the Blue House in central Seoul on March 31. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
"We are keenly interested in the stable development of Korea-U.S. relations," Lee said. "We expect the U.S. government, including President Trump, to play a major role in the issue of peace and stability in Northeast Asia in the future."
Lee expressed his hope that concrete cooperation would advance this year in key areas such as the peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear-powered submarines and shipbuilding.
The president also explained recent efforts, such as the National Assembly's passage of the special bill on U.S. investment on March 12, Kang said. He requested U.S. legislative efforts toward institutional improvements to protect Korean workers residing in the United States, noting this is crucial for the implementation of strategic investments, which in turn can contribute to job creation. He also requested cooperation regarding the issue of visa quotas for Korean professionals.
The delegation agreed and stated that they would continue to provide necessary support for such cooperation within the Congress, Kang said.
Since taking office in June last year, Lee has met with groups of U.S. lawmakers three times.
Lee has a whirlwind week of diplomacy, including summits with the leaders of Indonesia and France later this week expected to focus on trade, investment and other areas of cooperation.
On Wednesday, Lee will hold a bilateral summit with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who began a three-day state visit to Seoul Monday. The two leaders will hold a signing ceremony for memorandums of understanding and a state luncheon.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make a two-day state visit to Korea from Thursday as the two countries mark the 140th anniversary of bilateral relations. The two leaders will hold a bilateral summit on Friday, marking the first visit to Seoul by a French leader in 11 years.
Ahead of his summit with Subianto, Lee in an interview with Indonesian newspaper Kompas published Tuesday said that he expected to deepen close cooperation in defense industry and emerging sectors such as AI, digital technology, energy transition, content and culture.
He called Korea and Indonesia's joint development of the next-generation KF-21 fighter jet a "model example and potential global benchmark of international defense industry cooperation."
Lee expressed hopes to expand defense cooperation "in a wider range of areas, including naval vessels and air defense systems," which he said "will further benefit our two nations' security and economies."
BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)