U.S. House committee passes bill on reuniting Korean-Americans with separated families in N. Korea
- 4 years ago
Since 1985, South and North Korea have held multiple reunions for families separated by the Korean War.
But thousands of Korean Americans living in the U.S. were not included in any of those meetings.
However, now, it seems like their hopes of seeing long lost relatives has taken a step toward one day coming true.
Lee Kyung-eun reports.
The U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a bill on Wednesday, calling for U.S. efforts to reunite Korean-Americans with their separated family members in North Korea.
The Divided Families Reunification Act, introduced by Democratic representative Grace Meng, aims to achieve the goal through a two-fold consultation method.
It requires the U.S. Secretary of State to consult with the South Korean government on potential opportunities for reunion, including video links,… while pressuring the Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues to act on the issue.
Currently, Koreans living in the U.S. have been unable to meet their family members in the North due to lack of diplomatic relations between Washington and Pyeongyang as well as other political and geographical limitations.
Several efforts had been made in the past to improve the situation, but it is the first time that a congressional panel has passed a bill on it.
Doing so, the committee has agreed on the urgency of the matter.
Many Korean Americans have not seen their family members in the North for more than 60 years, and they are running out of time as they are getting old.
Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers emphasized that the bill is a humanitarian matter, perhaps hinting that it should be considered separate from political or diplomatic issues.
The bill still has to go through Congress and be signed by the President.
But that is not going to be an easy process, given that the position of Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, which would be in charge of the project, is currently vacant,… and that ongoing tensions mean the U.S. and North Korea are not likely to make a deal anytime soon.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.
But thousands of Korean Americans living in the U.S. were not included in any of those meetings.
However, now, it seems like their hopes of seeing long lost relatives has taken a step toward one day coming true.
Lee Kyung-eun reports.
The U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a bill on Wednesday, calling for U.S. efforts to reunite Korean-Americans with their separated family members in North Korea.
The Divided Families Reunification Act, introduced by Democratic representative Grace Meng, aims to achieve the goal through a two-fold consultation method.
It requires the U.S. Secretary of State to consult with the South Korean government on potential opportunities for reunion, including video links,… while pressuring the Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues to act on the issue.
Currently, Koreans living in the U.S. have been unable to meet their family members in the North due to lack of diplomatic relations between Washington and Pyeongyang as well as other political and geographical limitations.
Several efforts had been made in the past to improve the situation, but it is the first time that a congressional panel has passed a bill on it.
Doing so, the committee has agreed on the urgency of the matter.
Many Korean Americans have not seen their family members in the North for more than 60 years, and they are running out of time as they are getting old.
Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers emphasized that the bill is a humanitarian matter, perhaps hinting that it should be considered separate from political or diplomatic issues.
The bill still has to go through Congress and be signed by the President.
But that is not going to be an easy process, given that the position of Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, which would be in charge of the project, is currently vacant,… and that ongoing tensions mean the U.S. and North Korea are not likely to make a deal anytime soon.
Lee Kyung-eun, Arirang News.