Kim Defends Decision To Accompany Pelosi On Asia Trip

SOUTHEAST ASIA — U.S. Rep. Andy Kim's decision to accompany his Congressional colleagues on a trip to Southeast Asia this week is causing waves of friction with his challenger in the November election.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is leading a Congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific region, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, her office said.

The trip will consist of many meetings that discuss mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region, Pelosi's office also said.

The timing of Kim (NJ-03) taking such a trip seems like a poor decision, said Bob Healey, Kim's challenger for the third Congressional seat this November.

"The Congressman's constituents are canceling their own vacations and facing down a recession, record inflation and spiking crime," Healey said. "For their representative in Washington to be taking a completely voluntary, taxpayer-funded junket overseas, while his constituents struggle at home strikes me as tone deaf and detached from the people he represents in Burlington, Mercer, and Monmouth counties."

Kim said he would be meeting with senior officials about security issues during the trip to Asia.

"Our national security should never be a place for partisan attacks and politics," Kim told Patch. "I learned that as a career foreign policy official who served under both Republicans and Democrats."

Kim added the visit builds on his previous diplomatic experience and is right in line with his current responsibilities on the Asia and Cyber subcommittees within the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees.

"I expect we will expand and build upon areas of common ground and consensus, while also being willing to confront areas of strong disagreement head-on," Kim told Patch.

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