National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang and representatives of five political parties will leave for a five-day trip to Washington on Sunday, with the aim of reaffirming the US-South Korea alliance and discussing peace on the peninsula, according to the National Assembly on Friday.

“I plan to convey to the new US Congress our stance on ways to improve South Korea’s relations with North Korea and the US. Ahead of the second US-North Korea summit, Korea’s National Assembly and the US Congress will hold frank discussions on how to make the leap toward realizing peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon said.

Liberty Korea Party floor leader Na Kyung-won is part of the National Assembly’s delegation. However, Na and the party’s members have planned a separate itinerary in Washington for Wednesday and Friday, which has sparked concerns that they may deliver a message different from the delegation. 

The National Assembly’s delegation is scheduled to meet with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Eliot Engel and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, among other key figures.

Joining Moon on the trip will be members of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee and the heads of five Korean political parties: the ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Hae-chan; minor liberal Party for Democracy and Peace Chairman Chung Dong-young; minor liberal Justice Party Chairwoman Lee Jeong-mi; Liberty Korea Party floor leader Na; and minor Bareunmirae Party floor leader Kim Kwan-young.

The trip comes amid deepening conflict within Korea’s political circle over cost-sharing for US troops stationed here and revision of the country’s electoral system.

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)