Busan's Segero Church leader said he held an hourlong meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in which he raised concerns over religious freedom in Korea.
U.S. President Donald Trump, seated at center, meets with Pastor Son Hyun-bo, third from left, and family in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington on Aug. 7.WHITE HOUSE
Son Hyun-bo, pastor of Segero Church in Busan, said Friday that he met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington earlier that day.
Son met with Trump Friday afternoon, accompanied by his wife and two sons, according to a statement released by his church Friday.
The meeting lasted about an hour and was also attended by Jennifer S. Korn, deputy assistant to the president and faith director of the White House Faith Office; Rob McCoy, pastor emeritus of Godspeak Calvary Chapel; and Paula White-Cain, director of the White House Office of Faith, according to the statement.
Son said he and Trump exchanged views on a range of topics and that the president welcomed him warmly, including showing him around the White House. No further details of the conversation were disclosed.
Son has previously raised concerns with U.S. officials about proposed laws in Korea that would allow the dissolution of religious corporations and introduce an antidiscrimination framework.
Son and his family have been visiting major churches across the United States and meeting with U.S. government officials and politicians since July 13 at the invitation of Christian groups in the country.
In Washington, they met with U.S. government officials, including staff at the offices of federal senators, according to Son’s side, which added that additional meetings and events are expected later this year.
Pastor Son Hyun-bo, second from right, talks to U.S. President Donald Trump, right, during his visit to the White House on Aug. 7.WHITE HOUSE
Son previously met with Riley Barnes, assistant secretary of state for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, at Segero Church in Busan in June while Barnes was visiting Korea.
The 40-minute meeting covered the proposed religious corporation dissolution law, efforts to introduce a comprehensive antidiscrimination law, a complaint against Son alleging incitement to insurrection and a Korea-U.S. youth exchange program.
The meeting followed Son’s efforts to raise the issues with the State Department and was intended to address additional questions, according to Son’s side.
The meeting also prompted speculation in diplomatic circles that Son's case could be mentioned in a future U.S. State Department report on international religious freedom, as Barnes is involved in preparing the report.
In February, Son met with Michael Needham, then a counselor to the U.S. State Department, at Habib House, the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Jeong-dong, central Seoul. The meeting was arranged at the suggestion of the U.S. Embassy, according to Son’s side.
BY SHIM SEOK-YONG [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
