President Yoon Suk Yeol on April 5 shakes hands with Rep. Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, at the presidential office in Seoul. (Office of the President)

President Yoon Suk Yeol late this month will deliver a speech to a joint session of the U.S. Congress during his upcoming state visit to the U.S.

Presidential spokesperson Lee Do Woon on April 5 told a briefing that the president received an invitation to make the speech from Rep. Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a meeting with a visiting U.S. bipartisan congressional delegation at the presidential office in Seoul.

The spokesperson quoted the president as saying he was happy over receiving an invitation to deliver a historic speech on the podium of Congress on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-U.S. alliance.

President Yoon will be the first Korean leader in 10 years to make a speech to Congress. Then President Park Geun-hye in 2013 gave one to mark the alliance's 60th anniversary.

At the meeting attended by Rep. McCaul, Sen. Jon Ossoff (Democrat-Georgia) and nine other congressional members, the president thanked them for serving as "reliable supporters" to advance the alliance. He also asked for extra congressional attention and support for strengthening ties and a successful visit to the U.S.

In response, the U.S. delegation said it fully supports the efforts of both governments to strengthen the alliance and Congress will extend maximum backing for the success of President Yoon's visit at the bipartisan level.

The president on April 26 will depart for Washington to begin his trip at the invitation of U.S. President Joe Biden.

korea.net