December 3, 2009
DEVOLIN JOINS PRIME MINISTER HARPER IN
KOREA
OTTAWA: Local MP Barry Devolin will depart Vancouver on Friday to join Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his Official Visit to South Korea. Devolin will arrive in Seoul Saturday afternoon, and has several meetings planned with Korean officials Saturday evening and Sunday. The Prime Minister will arrive from his Official Visit to China on Sunday evening. On Monday, Devolin will accompany the Prime Minister for a full day of meetings, receptions and site visits.
Senator Yonah Martin (Conservative – B.C.) will also accompany Prime Minister Harper. Martin, who was born in Korea, was appointed to the Senate last December. Devolin and Martin are Co-chairs of the Canada Korea Inter-parliamentary Group. Devolin has also served as Government Liaison with the Korean Community since 2006.
“People in the riding might not know this, but from 1996 to 1998, Ursula and I lived in South Korea where I taught English as a Second Language at the Busan University of Foreign Studies,” said Devolin. “Ursula and I had a great experience in Korea, and we still have friends there. When asked by the Prime Minister, I was honoured to bring my knowledge to the table to promote Canada’s agenda with Korea.”
“Over the past 3 years, I have worked on many issues between our two countries, including reopening the Korean market to Canadian beef and working to find a solution for North Korean refugees apprehended in China. Most recently, the issue dominating our bilateral agenda is the G-20 meeting that will be co-hosted by Canada and Korea in Ontario in June.”
Devolin’s 56 hour visit to Korea will end Monday at midnight, when he will fly back to Ottawa with the Prime Minister on a Canadian Forces Airbus aircraft.
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For more information contact:
Barry Devolin, MP
(705) 324-9436 or (866) 688-9881