Korea-U.S. interparliamentary exchange center opens in Washington

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, center, and other Korean lawmakers attend a signboard hanging ceremony for the Korea Interparliamentary Exchange Center in Washington on Tuesday. [YONHAP]

Korean and U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday celebrated the launch of a Washington-based platform dedicated to promoting cooperation between their legislatures as part of efforts to support the two countries' growing partnerships in trade, investment and other areas.

They attended a signboard hanging ceremony for the Korea Interparliamentary Exchange Center in a building where the Washington office of Korea International Trade Association is located. The center is about 3 kilometers away from Capitol Hill.

The event came as Korean lawmakers have sought to contribute to strengthening the bilateral alliance while paving the way for deeper economic cooperation between the two countries at a time when Korean enterprises are increasing their investment in the United States.

"I believe that Korea and the U.S. have been able to reap outcomes of unprecedentedly strong cooperation because there has been full support from the U.S. Congress and full backing from various walks of life in the U.S.," Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo said.

Also attending the signboard hanging ceremony were U.S. lawmakers, including Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific.

The National Assembly speaker is currently leading a delegation of ruling and opposition party lawmakers on a two-nation trip that will also take them to Canada.

Yonhap