The State Department Official Met by Protocol Rank No. 8 Jang Donghyuk: A "30s" Under Secretary Chief of Staff

It was belatedly revealed that the U.S. State Department official whom People Power Party Chairman Donghyuk Jang met with—delaying his return to Korea—was Gavin Wax, Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy. Although Jang's team initially stated that he had met with a "Deputy Assistant Secretary of State," they did not disclose any specific information about the official's identity.

The People Power Party distributed photos on the 16th (local time) related to the schedule following CEO Donghyuk Jang's extension of his three-day stay in the United States to the press corps on the same day. The photo, labeled with the date 16th in the file name, shows a meeting with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State. April 19, 2026 [Provided by the People Power Party. Resale and database prohibited] Yonhap News Agency

According to a report by JTBC on April 23, the spokesperson's office at the U.S. State Department responded to a written inquiry asking which State Department official Jang had met in Washington on the 16th (local time), saying: "At the request of the Korean delegation, Chairman Jang and the People Power Party delegation held a meeting with Gavin Wax, Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy." The response also included details of the meeting, such as an emphasis on the Department of State's public diplomacy efforts prioritizing "America First."

JTBC introduced Chief of Staff Wax as a politician in his 30s, who previously served as president of the "New York Young Republican Club" before joining the State Department. The outlet noted that this organization is considered one of the far-right groups that form the core support base for U.S. President Donald Trump.

Gavin Wax, Chief of Staff to the U.S. Department of State Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy. gavinwax.com

Initially, Chairman Jang planned to visit Washington for "two nights and four days," but he moved up his departure and extended the trip to "five nights and seven days." Then, while going through airport procedures to leave the U.S. on the 17th (local time), Jang received a call from the State Department and unexpectedly extended his stay, ultimately remaining in the U.S. for "eight nights and ten days."

Despite internal criticism within the party that the chairman was staying overseas for too long ahead of the local elections, news that Jang had quickly turned back at the airport to meet with a State Department official naturally drew public attention. However, Jang's team only released photos showing the official's back and did not provide any further information, such as the name of the person he met. While they described the official as a "Deputy Assistant Secretary of State," the State Department's response suggests that this was also inaccurate. Given that diplomatic schedules typically place importance on meeting counterparts, and considering that Chairman Jang, as the leader of the main opposition party, holds the protocol rank of eighth highest in the Republic of Korea and is accorded vice prime minister-level treatment, controversy is expected.

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