Visit to Canada of the Honourable Jin-pyo Kim, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, and a Parliamentary Delegation

 

From April 17 to 19, 2024, the Honourable Jin-pyo Kim, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, led a parliamentary delegation to Ottawa at the invitation of the Honourable Raymonde Gagné, Speaker of the Senate and the Honourable Greg Fergus, P.C., M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons.

The delegation consisted of the Honourable Chung Jinsuk, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable Joo Ho Young, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable Ahn Gyuback, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable Yun Hojung, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable Han Jeoungae, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable Hon. Choo Kyungho, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable Song Gab Seok, Member of the National Assembly; the Honourable So Byung Chul, Member of the National Assembly; and the Honourable Choi Hyung Du, Member of the National Assembly.

The accompanying delegation included Mr. Kim Kyo Shik, Chief Secretary to the Speaker; Mr. Choi Manyoung, Senior Secretary for Public Relations; Ambassador Jeong Woonjin, Ambassadorial Advisor to the Speaker for Foreign Affairs; Mr. Hwang Seung Ki, Director General, International Affairs and Protocol Bureau; Mr. Cho Hyung Kook, Secretary to the Speaker, Office of the Speaker; Mr. Kim Seonghun, Director, International Affairs and Protocol Bureau; Mr. Min Joohong, Deputy Director, International Affairs and Protocol Bureau; Mr. Kim Yun Choong, Program Coordinator, International Affairs and Protocol Bureau; Mr. Lee Jonghun, Program Coordinator, International Affairs and Protocol Bureau; Mr. Ko Hyeongtae, Program Coordinator, International Affairs and Protocol Bureau; Mr. Kang Hyunuk, Secretary to the Speaker, Office of the Speaker; Mr. Kim Yoonsoo, Secretary to the Speaker, Office of the Speaker; Ms. Seo Reerah, Secretary to the Speaker, Office of the Speaker; Ms. Ka Chorong, Secretary to the Speaker, Office of the Speaker.

His Excellency Lim Woongsoon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea; Ms. Kim Hejin, Counsellor; Mr. Kim Dong Hwan, Commerce Attaché; Mr. Kim Sungyeol, Director of the Korean Cultural Centre and Mr. Kim Sangmin, Second Secretary also accompanied the delegation during their stay.

In Ottawa, the delegation met with the following officials:

• The Honourable Raymonde Gagné, Speaker of the Senate;
• The Honourable Greg Fergus, P.C., M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons;
• The Honourable Yonah Martin, Senator, Co-Chair of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• Ms. Shelby Kramp-Neuman, M.P., Co-Chair of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• The Honourable Marc Gold, P.C., Senator, Government Representative in the Senate;
• The Honourable Yuen Pau Woo, Senator, Member of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• The Honourable Clément Gignac, Senator, Member of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• The Honourable Rebecca Patterson, Senator, Member of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• The Honourable Judy A. Sgro, M.P.;
• Mr. Paul Chiang, M.P., Member of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• Mr. Ali Ehsassi, M.P., Member of the Canada-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group;
• Mr. Wayne Long M.P.; and
• Mr. Blake Desjarlais, M.P.

The delegation began their official visit by paying their respects with a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial. The delegation was then given a tour of the memorial by Mr. Robert Loken, National Manager, and met with Korean War veterans. They completed their visit to Ottawa by touring the Canadian War Museum's panel exhibition, which commemorates the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. Additionally, they had the opportunity to visit the museum’s permanent gallery dedicated to the Korean War.

Speaker Kim and his delegation were visiting Canada to further parliamentary relations, strengthen the Republic of Korea-Canada Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for the next 60 years and promote greater interparliamentary cooperation including promoting interparliamentary exchanges and exploring opportunities for cooperation between the two parliaments. This included expanding partnerships on critical minerals, renewable energy, and fostering people-to-people exchanges.