By Park Song-wu
Staff Reporter


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Friday welcomed a high-ranking U.S. official’s remarks that South Koreans may be able to enter the United States without visa as early as 2008.

``It is an expression of the United States’ principle view on the visa issue,’’ a ministry official said. ``I think it is a positive signal.’’

Michael Kirby, U.S. consul-general to South Korea, said on Thursday that it will be possible for Seoul to join Washington’s Visa Waiver Program (VWP) as early as 2008 if it shows a visa refusal rate below 3 percent for two years.

South Korea recorded a 3.2 percent rate last year, according to sources. They believe the rate will go below the 3-percent level this year.

``I am very optimistic that, if everything works out, it will be possible perhaps for (South) Korea to join the program as early as 2008,’’ Kirby told YTN, a 24-hour cable news channel.

South Korea’s entry into the VWP will allow its citizens to travel to the United States, either for business or pleasure, for 90 days without a visa.

Kirby’s interview came a day after he attended a meeting in Seoul between Justice Minister Chun Jung-bae and Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea.

``We have a lot of hard work ahead of us and I look forward to working with you to clear the way and the obstacles,’’ Vershbow told Chun.

Even if South Korea meets the 3 percent condition, entry into the VWP is not automatic as the U.S. Homeland Security Department has to agree that South Korea poses no security threat.

The Wednesday meeting was attended by Barry Tang, U.S. Home Security Department’s representative to Seoul.

South Korea also has to introduce an ``e-passport system,’’ which makes it possible for immigration officials to verify the identity of travelers through the use of biometric technology, such as inkless finger scans and digital photographs.

``We’ve already secured budget to run a pilot program for the e-passport system and we plan to carry it out this year,’’ the ministry official said.

Currently, 27 countries are on the visa waiver list. In Asia, Japan and Brunei are the only countries under the VWP. The list has not been updated since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001.

The countries, which made the list, need to adopt the biometrically enabled e-passport system by Oct. 26.

South Korea and the United States are expected to finalize a roadmap that will guide Seoul to the VWP by February.

``It’s just a matter of spelling out how we expect to get there,’’ Kirby said. ``It’s not really a particularly difficult process. We have our own bureaucracy in America that it has to pass.’’

After a summit with President Roh Moo-hyun in Kyongju, South Korea, on Nov. 17, U.S. President George W. Bush announced that his government will work with Seoul to develop the Visa Waiver Program Roadmap.

South Korea is the seventh largest trading partner of the United States, the fifth largest market for U.S. agricultural products and a strong security partner with the third largest number of troops in Iraq helping the United States.

More than 620,000 South Koreans visit the United States each year. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the amount spent in the United States by South Koreans exceeded $1 billion in fiscal year 2004.

Reflecting Seoul’s close ties with Washington economically, politically and militarily, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Virginia), together with five other congressmen, submitted the ``Dear Colleague Letter’’ on Nov. 10, welcoming South Korea’s efforts to join the VWP.

im@koreatimes.co.kr