(Washington, DC)— At a congressional hearing today hosted by the House International Relations Committee, Congresswoman Diane E. Watson (Ca-33) asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the status of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) with Korea. 

Said Congresswoman Watson:  “I represent the 33rd congressional district in California, which includes the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles and, I am proud to say, is home to the single largest number of Korean-American voters and taxpayers in the United States.

“As you might expect, given the interests of my constituents, Korea’s effort to join the Visa Waiver Program is very important to me.  There are currently more than 2,000,000 Korean Americans and, in addition to my own district, there are 236 other congressional districts where at least 1,000 Korean Americans reside.

“I have heard from my constituents that Korean businesspeople have been discouraged from coming to the U.S. to attend conventions and trade shows because of the time-consuming process of applying for a visa.  This means that business opportunities are being missed.”

Secretary Rice said that the State Department is working on the issue and that Korea is very close to qualifying for visa waiver status.  Currently, however, the denial rates of Koreans seeking U.S. visas exceed the acceptable level.   She said that both sides are making progress and believed that  Korea will meet the threshold requirements of the VWP with a little more work.

The objectives of the Visa Waiver Program, established in 1986, are to promote better relations with U.S. allies, eliminate unnecessary barriers to travel, stimulate the tourist industry, and allow the U.S. State Department to focus consular resources in other areas.

27 countries now participate in the VWP, including several Asian and Pacific Rim nations such as Singapore, Brunei, and New Zealand.

Congresswoman Watson pledged to continue to review the issue with the State Department.