A U.S. congressional delegation will travel to South Korea this week for a meeting with President-elect Park Geun-hye, sources here said Monday.
Headed by Ed Royce (R-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the group is on a weeklong trip to Asia.
"Chairman Royce is currently leading a congressional delegation to Asia," an aide to Royce said.
The delegation arrived in Taiwan and will also visit the Philippines, China and South Korea before it returns to the U.S. on Feb. 2, according to the official, who did not provide a specific itinerary.
A diplomatic source said the delegation is expected to make a two-day stop in Seoul from Friday.
"President-elect Park has a very tight schedule but she knows the importance of meeting the U.S. congressional delegation," the source said. "The two sides are in consultations to fix the date and time for a meeting."
Royce, known for efforts to help improve Seoul-Washington relations and resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis, was sworn in as leader of the key House panel early this month.
Asia is his first official destination.
The delegation includes Eliot Engel (D-NY), the top Democrat of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Eni Faleomavaega (D-AS), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. (Yonhap News)
