Gov. Tina Kotek and a coalition of state business and economic development leaders left Oregon on Thursday for a mission to South Korea and Japan intended to expand opportunities for trade and tourism between the state and the countries.

During the trip , the delegation will meet with officials of travel agencies in both countries, executives of several major corporations and leaders of major airlines in the region, Kotek’s office said.

The group, which also includes three staffers from Kotek’s office and her wife, left Thursday and is expected to return Oct. 30, according to the governor’s office.

Kotek’s office acknowledged that the trip comes amid a significant legal battle between the state and the Trump administration, which has sought for weeks to deploy federal troops into Po

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