Was the PPP leader’s big meeting in Washington with State Dept. undersecretary’s chief of staff?

The US State Department confirmed that the leader of Korea’s top conservative party met with Gavin Wax in what appeared to be a general explanatory briefing on US foreign policy rather than a concrete policy discussion

The conservative People Power Party released this photo of its leader Jang Dong-hyuk meeting with a State Department official on April 16, 2026. (courtesy PPP)

The Hankyoreh has confirmed that People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk met with Gavin Wax, the chief of staff to the undersecretary for public diplomacy, during his recent visit to the US.“At the request of the traveling delegation, ROK PPP Chairman Jang Dong-hyuk and his delegation were introduced to the Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Gavin Wax,” a spokesperson for the US State Department said in a written response to a request for comment by the Hankyoreh on Thursday.Although the party had revealed that Jang had met with someone from the US Department of State, it did not specify whom Jang met, simply saying it was someone at the “assistant secretary of state level.” The photo that the PPP shared of the meeting only showed the person’s back, concealing the official’s identity. While the chief of staff to the undersecretary is a key adviser, it is not a position confirmed by the US Senate with the authority to make policies. The State Department said that during his meeting with Jang, Wax “highlighted our public diplomacy efforts in the America First State Department.” “The meeting underscored our commitment to meet with a range of interlocutors to effectively advance and represent US interests,” the spokesperson said. This suggests that the meeting was less a forum for concrete policy discussions and more a general explanatory briefing on US foreign policy positions and messaging. Jang had been expected to return to South Korea with the rest of his delegation, but on the day of his departure was contacted by the State Department while in the security line at the airport. Upon receiving the request for a meeting, Jang delayed his departure. By Kim Won-chul, Washington correspondentPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]