U.S.-bound delegation to be headed by ex-chair of Doosan Group
South Korean businessman Park Yong-maan, former chairman of Doosan Group and a prominent figure in the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has been appointed as the head of a special envoy group to the United States. The appointment was announced by the presidential office on Thursday.
Park, who is 70 years old, will lead a delegation that includes ruling Democratic Party (DP) Representatives Han Jun-ho and Kim Woo-young. However, it is important to note that these representatives are part of the delegation, not special envoys themselves.
Park's mission as a special envoy is to explain the changes in the situation in Korea since President Lee Jae Myung took office and assist with the understanding of various international situations, particularly in the context of ongoing negotiations with the U.S. regarding trade tariffs and security. This effort is part of South Korea's attempt to secure a comprehensive deal with Washington covering trade and security issues, ahead of a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for imposing reciprocal tariffs on Korean goods.
Moreover, Park's delegation aims to help arrange a first bilateral summit between Presidents Lee and Trump. Special envoys typically deliver letters from the president during their visits.
President Lee is sending special envoys to 14 countries in total, but only Park Yong-maan has been announced as a special envoy to the United States thus far. There was a reported consideration of naming veteran politician Kim Chong-in as a special envoy, but this decision was withdrawn.
Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, made this announcement to reporters. However, he did not elaborate on who their counterparts in the U.S. would be for Park Yong-maan's mission. The scheduled date for Park's special envoy trip to the U.S. has not been confirmed yet.
This appointment comes as South Korea is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic ties with the U.S., particularly in the context of ongoing trade negotiations and security discussions. Park's extensive business experience and political connections are expected to be valuable assets in these discussions.
[1] Source: Yonhap News Agency [3] Source: The Korea Herald
Park's appointment as the head of a special envoy group to the United States is part of South Korea's policy-and-legislation efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties, particularly in the context of ongoing trade negotiations and security discussions with the U.S. This politics-related move involves Park Yong-maan leading a delegation, including ruling Democratic Party Representatives Han Jun-ho and Kim Woo-young, to deliver explanations about the changes in Korea's situation and assist with the understanding of various international situations, especially in relation to ongoing U.S. negotiations regarding trade tariffs and security.
