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Connolly Leads Bipartisan Letter on Reunification to Korean President Park Geun-hye

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), together with Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) on Monday delivered a bipartisan letter to Korean President Park Geun-hye to express support for her Korean Peninsula trust-building initiatives aimed at reunification. Read more.

Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), together with Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) on Monday delivered a bipartisan letter to Korean President Park Geun-hye to express support for her Korean Peninsula trust-building initiatives aimed at reunification.

The Connolly-Kelly letter, signed by 14 House members, highlights the successful visit to Korea by Pope Francis in August and is timed to President Park's address on reunification at the UN General Assembly this week in New York.

"We support your efforts to maintain a firm and consistent posture against any threats and provocations by North Korea, while also seeking avenues for peaceful dialogue with the North for the eventual reunification of the Korean Peninsula," the letter states.

The letter specifically notes President Park's landmark Dresden Address on reunification on March 28, stating: "In particular, we wish to commend your initiatives aimed at increased family reunions, targeted humanitarian assistance and promotion of educational and cultural exchange programs."

The letter further points out that "the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula is an important policy priority, firmly rooted in the U.S.-Korea alliance."

"May we one day see a reunified Korea free of tyranny, oppression and suffering and we look forward to partnering with you in the United States Congress to realize this important and shared objective," the letter concludes.

Connolly,a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea, is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is known as a champion of the U.S.-Korea alliance and a leader on Korean American issues, including those affecting his many Korean-American constituents in Northern Virginia. Congressman Connolly played a key role in the House passage on July 28 of the North Korea sanctions bill (H.R.1771) he authored an important amendment to force progress on family reunification.

In addition to Congressman Connolly and Congressman Kelly, the letter is signed by a bipartisan group of12 other Members of Congress.

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TEXT OF THE LETTER:

September 22, 2014

Her Excellency Park Geun-hye
President of the Republic of Korea
The Blue House
1 Cheongwadae-ro
Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-820
REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Dear President Park:

We are writing to congratulate you on the successful visit by‎ His Holiness Pope Francis to Korea last month. The visit not only highlighted but confirmed the important leadership role that Korea is actively playing in the Asia-Pacific region. Korea is a key U.S. ally, indispensable partner and friend, and our shared values have served as a cornerstone to freedom and prosperity.

We applaud your strong leadership and conviction especially in light of the continued acts of destabilization by North Korea throughout the past year. We support your efforts to maintain a firm and consistent posture against any threats and provocations by North Korea, while also seeking avenues for peaceful dialogue with the North for the eventual reunification of the Korean Peninsula.

To this end, we affirm the Pope's conveyance of his "appreciation for the efforts being made in favor of reconciliation and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and to encourage those efforts, for they are the only sure path to lasting peace." We further wish to express our support for the goals and vision that you eloquently articulated in your Dresden Address on reunification on March 28th. In particular, we wish to commend your initiatives aimed at increased family reunions, targeted humanitarian assistance and promotion of educational and cultural exchange programs.

We are also aware that a Presidential Committee on Reunification has been established with the intent to be both "concrete and operational." We congratulate you on the creation of this important committee. And as you stated in your Joint Meeting of the Congress address to us last year, the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula is an important policy priority, firmly rooted in the U.S.-Korea alliance, and we further applaud your efforts to create an international Peace Park at the DMZ.

Madam President, we reiterate our support for your initiative for peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia as well as your goals and vision outlined in your Dresden Address. May we one day see a reunified Korea free of tyranny, oppression and suffering and we look forward to partnering with you in the United States Congress to realize this important and shared objective.

Sincerely,

GERALD E. CONNOLLY                           MIKE KELLY

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

CHARLES B. RANGEL                               TRENT FRANKS

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO                    CHRIS GIBSON

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

BILL PASCRELL, JR.                                  TOM REED

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

MICHAEL M. HONDA                                LUKE MESSER                   

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

MARIO DIAZ-BALART                              BILLY LONG                                  

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

DOUG COLLINS                                          LORETTA SANCHEZ

Member of Congress                                       Member of Congress

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