I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2582

To designate the Republic of Korea as a pilot program country for one

year under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOVEMBER 2, 1995

Mr. KIM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee

on the Judiciary

A BILL

To designate the Republic of Korea as a pilot program

country for one year under the Immigration and Nationality Act.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS.

4 The Congress makes the following findings:

5 (1) The Republic of Korea and the United

6 States have close historical and military ties.

7 (2) The Republic of Korea has been designated

8 as a major non-NATO ally.

9 (3) The Republic of Korea is the sixth largest

10 trading partner of the United States.
2

•HR 2582 IH

1 (4) In 1994, total United States exports to the

2 Republic of Korea were $14,800,000,000, with im3 ports of $17,100,000,000, a trade surplus of

4 $3,700,000,000, and cumulative direct investment of

5 $1,200,000,000.

6 (5) There is an increasing demand by citizens

7 of the Republic of Korea to visit the United States,

8 with an increased demand for nonimmigrant visas

9 from a 1982 total of 800 to a 1995 total of over

10 2,000 applications daily.

11 (6) During fiscal year 1993, a total of 408,213

12 Korean citizens visited the United States as tourists,

13 making the Republic of Korea the twelfth highest

14 source country for tourism in the United States, an

15 increase of 20 percent over fiscal year 1992.

16 (7) According to the United States Department

17 of Commerce, overall tourism dollars spent in the

18 United States by tourists from the Republic of

19 Korea exceeded $680,000,000 in fiscal year 1993.

20 (8) It is estimated that for fiscal year 1995, ar21 rivals from the Republic of Korea will reach more

22 than 600,000, an increase of over 900 percent from

23 fiscal year 1987 arrivals, and more than

24 $1,000,000,000 in tourist spending.
3

•HR 2582 IH

1 (9) Currently, all potential Republic of Korea

2 travellers seeking to obtain a travel visa must apply

3 at the United States Embassy in Seoul, regardless

4 of their place of residence in the Republic of Korea.

5 (10) The United States consular affairs office

6 at the United States Embassy in Seoul has not been

7 able to meet the growing demand for nonimmigrant

8 visas to the United States due to lack of space and

9 personnel, resulting in unnecessary delays, frustra10 tion, and loss of economic opportunity for the

11 United States.

12 (11) During the past several months, numerous

13 press reports and media stories have centered

14 around the growing dissatisfaction of the South Ko15 rean people in relation to such delays and the lack

16 of adequate protection against the natural elements.

17 (12) The commitment of the United States to

18 the Republic of Korea has been enhanced and solidi19 fied by the recent visit of President Kim to the

20 United States.

21 (13) The Republic of South Korea has a unique

22 place of importance with respect to the United

23 States under the provisions of the United States24 North Korea Agreed Framework.
4

•HR 2582 IH

1 SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AS

2 VISA WAIVER PILOT PROGRAM COUNTRY.

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi4 sion of law, beginning 60 days after the date of the enact5 ment of this Act, the Republic of Korea shall be des6 ignated for one year as a visa waiver pilot program coun7 try for purposes of section 217 of the Immigration and

8 Nationality Act.

9 (b) AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE.—Notwithstanding

10 any other provision of law, the requirements for designa11 tion of a country under section 217 of the Immigration

12 and Nationality Act shall not apply to any designation of

13 the Republic of Korea as a visa waiver pilot program coun14 try under such section.

15 (c) REPORT REQUIREMENTS.—Not later than one

16 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec17 retary of State and the Attorney General shall compile and

18 submit to the Congress a report evaluating the visa waiver

19 pilot program country designation under subsection (a)

20 and the qualifications of the Republic of Korea for des21 ignation under the provisions of section 217 of the Immi22 gration and Nationality Act.

Æ