HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	104
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE PRESIDENT, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, AND THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO INCLUDE THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA IN THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, there are nearly two million Americans of Korean heritage and descent who live in the United States, including forty thousand Hawaii residents, and January 13, 2003 marked the centennial of the first arrival of Koreans in the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the United States and the Republic of Korea have a long history of friendship, and continue to strengthen alliances and business partnerships; and

     WHEREAS, the Republic of Korea has been a trusted ally for over fifty years, is a major trading partner of the United States, and is the thirteenth largest economy in the world; and

     WHEREAS, visitors from the Republic of Korea to the United States reached as high as 500,000 in 1999, inclusive of the 40,000 visitors to Hawaii that same year; and

     WHEREAS, the Visa Waiver Program was established in 1986 with the objective of promoting better relations with United States allies, eliminating unnecessary barriers to travel, and stimulating the tourism industry; and

     WHEREAS, the Visa Waiver Program enables nationals of twenty-seven countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of ninety days or less without obtaining a visa; the Republic of Korea is not a participant in the Visa Waiver Program; and

     WHEREAS, due to increased security prompted by the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, it has become much more difficult for the citizens of the Republic of Korea, especially those living outside the capital city of Seoul, to obtain visitor visas that allow travel to the United States; and

     WHEREAS, under Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, the United States Congress revised requirements for countries to become eligible for the Visa Waiver Program, enabling South Korea to be eligible for consideration, provided it meets the new security requirements specified in the Act; and

     WHEREAS, in a letter to the Secretary of State dated July 7, 2006, United States Senators Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka, along with several other senators, expressed strong support for including South Korea into the Visa Waiver Program and noted that South Korea has repealed its visa requirement for United States citizens traveling to the Republic of Korea for thirty days or less and that South Korea enjoys a visa-free status with sixty-six other nations; and

     WHEREAS, including South Korea in the Visa Waiver Program would result in economic benefits to the United States estimated to be $350,000,000 in actualized tourism revenues for every 100,000 tourists increase in South Korean visitors and tourists, based on visitors and tourists to the United States from South Korea spending of nearly $2,200,000,000 in 2004; and

     WHEREAS, while the Republic of Korea is doing its part to facilitate the processing of travel requirements for its citizens, the United States should also encourage visitors from the Republic of Korea, especially as Hawaii continues to be one of the premier destinations in the world and tourism remains the backbone of Hawaii's economy; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Homeland Security are urged to take all steps necessary to include the Republic of Korea in the Visa Waiver Program; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation are urged to support the inclusion of the Republic of Korea in the Visa Waiver Program; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary for Homeland Security, President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of Hawaii's congressional delegation, and the Governor.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Korea; Visa Waiver Program