Congressional Commission on the Divided Families
Congressional Letters
Key Legislation & Government Policy
- September, 2001: US government policy on the divided families was adopted. The policy is that when the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea normalize the relationship, the divided family issue will be treated as a top priority.
- November 2001: Resolution supporting the US government policy was passed in the House.
- February, 2002: Resolution supporting the policy of the US government was passed.
- September, 2007: The Congressional Commission on the Divided Families was founded. (2007-2010) See list of Congressional Commissioners.
- October, 2007: HR2595, Section 1265 was passed in the Senate.
- December, 2007: HR2595, Section 1265 was passed in the House. See Congressman Mark Kirk’s pledge.
- January, 2008: HR2595, Section 1265 was signed by President George W. Bush.
- July, 2008: HR2595, Section 1265 expired. See President Bush’s report (Link to Bush report)
- July, 2009:HR3288 was passed in the House.
- December, 2009: HR3288 was passed in the Senate.
- December, 2009: HR3288 was signed by President Barack Obama. Shortly after that, the president appointed North Korea Human Rights Ambassador Robert King as the Divided Family Ambassador.
HR2595, Section 1265,
which was passed in the Senate in October 2007, passed in the House in December 2007, and signed by President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008:
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall transmit to Congress a report on family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in the (b) ELEMENTS.—The report under subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1) A description of the efforts, if any, of the United States Government to facilitate family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea, including the following:
(A) Discussing with North Korea family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea. (B) Planning, in the event of a normalization of relations between the United States and North Korea, for the appropriate role of the United States embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea, in facilitating family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea.
(2) A description of additional efforts, if any, of the United States Government to facilitate family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea that the President considers to be desirable and feasible.
President George Bush Report (November, 2008):
Senator Mark Kirk’s pledge:
(1) A description of the efforts, if any, of the United States Government to facilitate family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea, including the following:
(A) Discussing with North Korea family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea. (B) Planning, in the event of a normalization of relations between the United States and North Korea, for the appropriate role of the United States embassy in Pyongyang, North Korea, in facilitating family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea.
(2) A description of additional efforts, if any, of the United States Government to facilitate family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives in North Korea that the President considers to be desirable and feasible.
President George Bush Report (November, 2008):
Senator Mark Kirk’s pledge:
HR3288,
which was passed in the House in July 2009, passed in the Senate in December 2009, and signed by President Barak Obama on December 16, 2009:
State-Foreign Operations FY 2010 Language
North Korea.--The Committee urges the Special Representative on North Korea Policy, as the senior official handling North Korea issues, to prioritize the issues involving Korean divided families, and to, if necessary, appoint a coordinator for such families.
North Korea.--The Committee urges the Special Representative on North Korea Policy, as the senior official handling North Korea issues, to prioritize the issues involving Korean divided families, and to, if necessary, appoint a coordinator for such families.
Congressional Commission on the Divided Families
11 Congressmen and Congresswomen. 2007 - 2010
- Cochairs : Congressman Mark Kirk (R-Illinois), Congressman Jimmy Matheson (D-Utah)
- Commissioners : Dan Burton (R-IN), Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA) (joined 08/29/2007), Tom Davis (R-VA) (joined 09/05/2007), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) (joined 10/10/2007), Jane Harman (D-CA)
Congressional Letters
- Then-Congressman Mark Kirk's letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
- Then-Congressman Mark Kirk's letter to North Korean UN Ambassador Park Gil Yon.
- Then-Congressman Mark Kirk's letter to the American Red Cross.
- President of American Red Cross replies to Congressman Kirk's letter.
- Then-Congressman Mark Kirk's transcript to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
- Senator Mark Kirk's letter to the Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Minister of Reunification. February, 2011.
- The Korean government's reply to the Senator's letter. February, 2011 See the reply.
- Senator Mark Kirk's letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. March, 30, 2011.
- The State Department responds to Senator Mark Kirk's letter.
- State Department's reply to Congressman Jim Matheson 01.
- State Department's reply to Congressman Jim Matheson 02.
- Congressman Peter Roskam's letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
- Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's letter to States Department 01.
- Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's letter to States Department 02.
- Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega's letter to Chahee Lee Stanfield 01.
- Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega's letter to Chahee Lee Stanfield 02.
Congressman Mark Kirk’s pledge:
House Passes Bill Requiring U.S. to Plan for Family Reunification for Korean Divided FamiliesKirk Pledges to Work with State Department to Plan for Family Reunification at a Future U.S. Embassy in Pyongyang
Kirk: We cannot forget the human face of North Korea
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) today pledged to work with the State Department and the Eugene Bell Foundation to develop a plan to reunite Korean Americans with family in North Korea should the U.S. normalize relations with the DPRK. Kirk’s statement came after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report today (H.R. 1585), which contained a requirement for the President to report to Congress within 180 days on the status of divided Korean families and a plan to facilitate reunification should relations between the U.S. and North Korea continue to thaw.
Kirk serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Commission on Divided Families and as a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, which funds all State Department operations. "All too often we forget the human face of North Korea and the devastating impact the regime's policies have taken on ordinary Korean Americans," said Kirk, the only member of Congress to travel to every province in North Korea. "Now more than 50 years since the Korean conflict divided a nation, Republicans and Democrats are working together to reunite constituents with loved ones in North Korea.”
More than 1,000 families have come forward to report family in North Korea. The Commission, made up of 10 Republicans and Democrats, is working with the Eugene Bell Foundation to document cases of divided families and urge the North Korean government to allow these families to unite.
One victim, 66-year-old Chahee Stanfield, applauded today’s House vote as a watershed moment for the divided Korean family movement.
“This is a historical moment for which Korean American divided families have waited more than 50 years,” said Stanfield, a Chicago librarian who was five years old when she last saw her father and older brother. “The divided family members are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, and every day makes a difference.” According to the Congressional Research Service, between 100,000 and 500,000 Korean-Americans still have family living in North Korea. Most have not seen their loved ones since the end of the Korean War, while many have not seen family members since World War II.
The Congressional Commission on Divided Families is the first official mechanism inside the U.S. government to directly engage with the North Korean government on the issue of family reunification.
In the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries, elderly Korean Americans are forced to contact relatives without the protection of a U.S. embassy or the State Department. Families are at the mercy of the black market smuggling rings that control access to North Korea.
Pictures of Chahee Stanfield and her family are available upon request.
Kirk serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Commission on Divided Families and as a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State-Foreign Operations, which funds all State Department operations. "All too often we forget the human face of North Korea and the devastating impact the regime's policies have taken on ordinary Korean Americans," said Kirk, the only member of Congress to travel to every province in North Korea. "Now more than 50 years since the Korean conflict divided a nation, Republicans and Democrats are working together to reunite constituents with loved ones in North Korea.”
More than 1,000 families have come forward to report family in North Korea. The Commission, made up of 10 Republicans and Democrats, is working with the Eugene Bell Foundation to document cases of divided families and urge the North Korean government to allow these families to unite.
One victim, 66-year-old Chahee Stanfield, applauded today’s House vote as a watershed moment for the divided Korean family movement.
“This is a historical moment for which Korean American divided families have waited more than 50 years,” said Stanfield, a Chicago librarian who was five years old when she last saw her father and older brother. “The divided family members are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, and every day makes a difference.” According to the Congressional Research Service, between 100,000 and 500,000 Korean-Americans still have family living in North Korea. Most have not seen their loved ones since the end of the Korean War, while many have not seen family members since World War II.
The Congressional Commission on Divided Families is the first official mechanism inside the U.S. government to directly engage with the North Korean government on the issue of family reunification.
In the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries, elderly Korean Americans are forced to contact relatives without the protection of a U.S. embassy or the State Department. Families are at the mercy of the black market smuggling rings that control access to North Korea.
Pictures of Chahee Stanfield and her family are available upon request.