A group of ruling and opposition lawmakers have left for Washington on a mission to sound out the second Bush Administration’s policies toward the Korean Peninsula and strengthen the bilateral alliance.

During their six-day stay in the U.S. capital, the Korean lawmakers will meet senior administration officials and Congressional leaders.

Among them are Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and Michael Green, director for Asian affairs at the U.S. National Security Council.

The delegation will also meet with researchers at Washington-based institutions such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation and the Brookings Institution.

The delegation is jointly led by Rep. Chung Eui-yong of the ruling Uri Party and Rep. Park Jin of the Grand National Party. Before departing for Washington, Rep. Chung said both parties will consider sending another parliamentary-level delegation to Washington by the year's end.