Controversy over 'Protocol Neglect and Media Passing'... National Assembly Side: "Decided After Prior Consultation with the US"

Criticism of Protocol Neglect Met with "Say Thanks for Parliament's Warm Welcome"
Q&A Skipped "To Make Use of Time"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 4th, the National Assembly responded to the controversy over the protocol neglect toward Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, stating that the National Assembly Secretariat and the U.S. side had already reached an agreement. When criticized for releasing a joint press statement without taking media questions, they explained that it was due to scheduling and time constraints.

A National Assembly official held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office on the afternoon of the 4th and said regarding the 'protocol neglect' controversy, "I don't know," adding, "Speaker Pelosi expressed her gratitude several times for the warm welcome from the National Assembly, and the atmosphere at the luncheon was very good."

When asked if the Taiwan situation caused any protocol issues, the official replied, "The schedule was coordinated to some extent even before departure from the U.S.," and added, "There was no sudden change." They also answered that Taiwan was not mentioned during the meeting.

Regarding the reason for not sending protocol personnel to the airport, the official said, "Speaker Pelosi repeatedly expressed thanks for the Korean side's hospitality, and during the talks, press conference, and luncheon, the atmosphere was warm and friendly. She said this was her favorite place in the world, enjoyed the meal, expressed gratitude, and left well."

When asked why no Q&A was held beyond the joint statement, the official said, "We agreed with the U.S. not to issue additional press releases, and it was not a situation where printed press materials could be released," adding, "There was nothing special beyond what was in the joint press statement."

The official elaborated on the meeting content, saying, "After the opening remarks, the meeting details were confidential, and the luncheon conversation was also conducted under an agreement between the two countries to keep it private," adding, "Since interpretation was not provided for the conversation at the head table, we are unable to confirm what was discussed."

The official also revealed that the National Assembly and the U.S. side had pre-agreed not to take media questions. He explained, "During a very short schedule visiting five countries, the U.S. side strongly requested this arrangement," adding, "Considering the overall situation, the U.S. side probably requested that no Q&A be held. In any case, it was decided through consultation between the U.S. and our Secretariat's International Affairs Bureau."

He continued, "From our perspective, since the stay period is limited and the schedule involves visiting multiple countries in a short time, we thought about the best way to efficiently use time while delivering an appropriate message to the public, and decided that the two would stand and deliver a message to the nation without a Q&A."

Controversy over protocol neglect arose when it became known that no domestic protocol personnel went out to greet the delegation, including Speaker Pelosi, when they landed at the U.S. Air Force base in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, at around 9:26 p.m. the previous day. Additionally, suspicion was raised that the National Assembly unilaterally took measures by omitting media Q&A during the briefing on the meeting between Speaker Pelosi and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.