Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Rep. Peter Roskam

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to offer a tribute to His Excellency Han Duk-soo, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States, who is leaving his post in Washington after three years of representing and serving his country here. Before arriving in Washington in March 2009, Ambassador Han served as his country's Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance and Economy, after previous service as ambassador to the OECD and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The past three years have been particularly busy for him, culminating in the ratification of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which takes effect next month. During Ambassador Han's tenure in Washington, he also dealt with sensitive and timely issues like security matters in Northeast Asia. I am particularly reminded of his thoughtful and steady leadership during the challenges Korea faced in the wake of the attacks on the Cheonan Naval Vessel and on Yeonpyeong Island in 2010. Mr. Speaker, the Republic of Korea has a special place in my heart.