Rep. Chung Chung-rae shifts parliamentary audit destination to Europe amid U.S. visa delays

Democratic Party Rep. Chung Chung-rae changed his subcommittee assignment from the Americas group, which covers the United States, to the Europe group after his U.S. visa had not been issued even three days before departure for the overseas National Assembly inspection (an audit in which the legislature reviews government operations). The Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's Americas group had been scheduled to visit the United States, Brazil, Colombia, and Canada from November 11 to 22 on a 12-day, 9-night itinerary to inspect overseas diplomatic missions.

The six other members of the Americas group — Democratic Party Reps. Park Sung-joon and Maeng Sung-kyu, People Power Party Rep. Song Seok-jun, chair of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Reps. Ko Dong-jin and Kim Geon, and independent Rep. Han Dong-hoon — reportedly had completed their visa procedures or were set to depart using the visa-free Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Rep. Chung visited the United States in 2012 for the committee's audit and, in 2014, discussed Korean Peninsula issues with members of the U.S. House and Senate as a member of the National Assembly. In October 2013, during his first term, he was also assigned to the committee's Americas group but failed to obtain a U.S. visa and joined the Europe group instead — meaning he had gone through the very same experience 13 years ago.