Congressional Perspectives from Two Trips Inside the DPRK

U.S. Representative Curt Weldon (R-PA) offered an engrossing account of his two visits to the DPRK. On both occasions, he led bipartisan congressional delegations. He reported on his meetings in Pyongyang with several high-level officials, including Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan. Based on these discussions, Weldon expressed his strong conviction that it would be feasible to reach a satisfactory agreement with the DPRK for the complete and verifiable dismantlement of its nuclear programs. Given this strong conviction, he urged the Bush administration to take a more proactive stance in the Six-Party Talks, which he argued should be reconvened in Beijing at the earliest opportunity. His presentation also included a rich array of personal vignettes gleaned during his two stays in Pyongyang.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

About the Speaker

Report from Pyongyang

Congressional Perspectives from Two Trips Inside the DPRK

with 

Curt Weldon
U.S. Representative

Curt Weldon represents the Seventh Congressional District of Pennsylvania. Currently serving his ninth term, Weldon is the most senior Republican in the Pennsylvania Delegation. A senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Weldon served six years as the chairman of the Military Research and Development Subcommittee, overseeing the development and testing of key military systems, weapons programs, and technologies that fulfill military needs. Weldon now serves as the vice chairman of the full Committee as well as chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. He was also recently selected to be vice chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, which is the principal legislative and oversight committee for the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to the terrorist attacks on America, Weldon was an outspoken advocate of bolstering defenses, assisting first responders, and improving intelligence-gathering capabilities. Weldon is a frequent keynote speaker at various defense and national security conferences across the country. He is a regular guest on national news and television programs, is the author of letters and opinion papers for various news sources, and teaches advanced courses at local colleges and universities.