The South Korean government shelled out nearly $10,000 for Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago to stay at two five-star hotels and travel roundtrip in business class to the country for a conference last month on veterans affairs, according to documents reviewed by the Herald.
The Healey administration pitched the trip as a way to showcase the state’s first-ever cabinet-level office dedicated to veterans services led by Santiago, a major in the Army Reserve and an emergency room doctor at Boston Medical Center.
The new office apparently caught the eye of South Korean Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Jung-ai, who invited Santiago as the only representative of a state-level veterans department to attend the 2024 International Conference on Veterans Affairs alongside delegates from 10 other countries, according to documents detailing the trip.
An ethics disclosure form signed by Santiago shows the South Korean government paid an estimated $9,620 — including $8,000 for airfare, $1,500 for lodging, and $120 for meals — to bring Santiago to the country.
Assistant Secretary for Engagement and Outreach Cory Ahonen also traveled with Santiago but his ethics disclosure form does not detail how much the South Korean government paid for him to travel and stay in the country, according to the version reviewed by the Herald.
A spokesperson for the Executive Office of Veterans Services said Ahonen’s travel expenses likely came in lower than what South Korea spent on Santiago, but because Massachusetts officials did not directly book the flights or hotels the costs are only an estimate.
The spokesperson, Jacqueline Manning, said the trip came at no cost to the Executive Office of Veterans Services or Massachusetts taxpayers and Santiago was “honored to represent Massachusetts and the United States on the global stage.”
“Invited by the Republic of Korea and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, he was the only state-level representative at the conference, a distinction that recognized the transformative reforms in veterans services achieved by the Healey-Driscoll administration,” Manning said in a statement.
Like other dignitaries invited to the conference, Santiago was offered premium lodging and airfare options, which he took advantage of, according to a memorandum of understanding drawn up by South Korea’s Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.
The South Korean government booked rooms for Santiago and Ahonen at two five-star hotels — the Signiel Busan in Busan and Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel in Seoul, according to the travel documents.
Santiago stayed in a “premier double” room in Busan and a “luxury lake” room in Seoul, the memorandum of understanding said.
The Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel describes its rooms as having “an opulent gold and glass bathroom that has to be seen to be believed.”
“Panoramic lake views or sparkling city views. Whether you choose one of our chic rooms or suites, we invite you to unwind with best-in-class hospitality,” the hotel’s website said.
The Signiel Busan said it offers “signature elegance … delivered at a new level of value never been seen in Busan,” according to its website.
The former lawmaker from Boston’s South End also received a “round-trip e-ticket in business class” while Ahonen flew in “economy class” and stayed in lower-tier rooms at both hotels, according to travel documents.
Santiago, alongside all the other dignitaries invited to the conference, had the option to stay in lower-tier rooms at both hotels and fly in economy like Ahonen but instead chose the higher-class accommodations, the Executive Office of Veterans Affairs confirmed.
In his ethics disclosure form, Santiago said the conference presented an opportunity to share the work Massachusetts is doing to care for veterans and “learn from other nations and veterans specialists on the best practices for the care of veterans.”
“I will learn from experts on other ways to ensure veterans receive benefits which will have a positive impact on their lives and reintegration into civilian life,” he wrote in the form.
The trip was initially scheduled to run from Nov. 10 through Nov. 14 but Santiago extended his stay until Nov. 22 to take a personal vacation in the country, according to an itinerary of the event and travel documents.
Santiago and Ahonen attended an annual event at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in South Korea on Nov. 11 before heading to the International Conference on Veterans Affairs, which took place in both Busan and Seoul and started on Nov. 13, according to Manning.
During the conference, Santiago spoke about “the importance of collaborative international support for veterans” immediately following a keynote address from Jung-ai, according to his office.
He also presented alongside Ahonen on the Executive Office of Veterans Services and the “comprehensive reforms in Massachusetts veterans’ services” alongside Ahonen, his office said.
Gov. Maura Healey touted the trip at the end of October, saying in a statement that Massachusetts was “setting a new standard in veterans’ care, driven by our commitment to transform services and restore trust.”
“Secretary Santiago’s leadership exemplifies the values of our administration — innovation and compassion — and his presence at this international conference is a testament to the progress we’re making together. We’re incredibly proud to see Massachusetts represented on the global stage,” Healey said.
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