Clarification regarding the Article Published by Breitbart on February 10 on ROK Government’s Lobbying Activities in U.S.

With regard to the article published by Breitbart on February 10 concerning the lobbying activities of the Government of the Republic of Korea in the United States, we would like to provide the following clarification.

Based on the official registration records available on the U.S. FARA* website, the Korean government's 2025 budget for retaining consulting firms amounts to approximately USD 3 million. The USD 37 million figure cited in the article is understood to include, in addition to this amount, approximately USD 34 million in the operating budgets of Korean public institutions that maintain offices or branches in the United States, such as KOTRA.

* Foreign Agents Registration Act

These U.S.-based public institutions are U.S. branches of Korean public entities and are not lobbying firms. Nevertheless, in order to enhance transparency in their activities in the United States, they reported their budgets to the U.S. Department of Justice in accordance with applicable law.

In this context, we would like to affirm that the Government of the Republic of Korea remains committed to maintaining effective congressional outreach and public diplomacy activities in the United States.