Korea is the States fifth largest trading partner and the Los Angeles Custom Districts third largest trading partner. with $18 billion in twoway trade annually. In my congressional district in Los Angeles. Hollywood. and Culver City. ethnic Koreans have built a thriving business and cultural area known as Koreatown. Many maintain close cultural. business. and family ties to their homeland. Accordingly. it is my hope that the Republic of Korea will be fully admitted into the Visa Waiver Program in the very near future so that we may share even closer peopletopeople exchanges between our two countries. H. Res. 947 is also timely and important due to the ongoing SixParty Talks and current attempts to dismantle North Koreas nuclear weapons program.