| Taken Question Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC September 8, 2006 Question Taken at the September 7, 2006 Daily Press Briefing South Korea: ROK Visa Waiver ProgramQuestion: Are we in discussions with South Korea about the visa waiver program? Did this topic come up yesterday in the Secretary’s meeting with Song Min-soon? Answer: The ROK’s interest in joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program was discussed briefly during the Secretary’s meeting with Song Min-Soon on Wednesday. Countries are evaluated individually for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and admitted only when they meet the specific, legislative requirements in Section 217 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The U.S. is committed to working with Korea in clarifying legislative criteria for VWP designation and helping it to identify those areas where it can focus its efforts in meeting the Visa Waiver Program’s requirements. A consular working group has been established at our embassy in Seoul; it meets regularly with Korean government officials to monitor developments related to Korea’s progress towards meeting the requirements of the VWP. 2006/794
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