Moon reaches out to U.S. congressional leaders

In this file photo, President Moon Jae-in, fourth from left, talks with leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. on June 26, 2017. [YONHAP]

President Moon Jae-in congratulated U.S. congressional leaders for recent election victories, the Blue House said Friday.

Moon sent congratulatory messages to 12 politicians and expressed his appreciation for their support of the Korea-U.S. alliance, the Blue House said.

According to the Blue House, Moon sent messages to senior members of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Among the 12 were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R).

Moon also sent messages to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Rasch (R), Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R) and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation Ami Bera (D).

Others who received the messages included Senator Dan Sullivan (R), who has been chairing the Congressional Study Group on Korea.

Moon’s messages to congressional figures followed his first phone talk with President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday. During their conversation, Biden called Korea a “linchpin” for the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.

Moon’s ruling Democratic Party (DP) is also planning to send a delegation to the United States.

“A delegation, led by Rep. Song Young-gil, who chairs the Foreign and Unification Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, will depart for the United States on Sunday,” said DP Chairman Lee Nak-yon on Friday. “We hope to build a network and explore the leaders’ policies.”

BY SER MYO-JA [ser.myoja@joongang.co.kr]