Former Senator Mark Kirk. “I introduced your case on the Floor of the House last week. Mark Kirk. March 13, 2001.” He had the US government adopt the divided family issue into US government policy . 9/22/2001. He founded the Saemsori Project in February 2006 and the Congressional Commission on Divided Families in September 2007 in preparation for the passage of his first bill. He passed two bills, HR4986.Sec.1265 and HR3288: one signed by President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008 and the other signed by President Barack Obama on December 16, 2009. He passed three resolutions in the House and in the Senate. Senator Kirk sent a letter dated March 30, 2011 to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton including a letter from the Korean government . As a result, the Secretary contacted North Korea, which resulted in the reunion agreement between DPRK and the US in August 2011. However, the reunion process stopped due to the death of Prime Minister Kim Jung-IL in December 2011.

President Joseph Biden signed the bill, NDAA,Sec.5599B on January 9, 2023 and appointed Julie Turner as the Special Envoy for North Korea. She has National Registration Bill, HR7152 in the House and S3876 in the Senate. (6/5/24)

The US government officials, the US representatives and senators who have worked hard to make the reunion happen or passed the divided family bills and/or resolutions.

Alice Suh Jou: Founding Saemsori Director, 2/2006-12/2007. Founded the Congressional Commission on the Divided Families with Congressman Mark Kirk. 9/2007. Passed Bill HR8946.Sec.1265 with Congressman Mark Kirk. 1/2008.

Hannah Kim: Passed Resolution HRes.Con40 with Congressman Charles Rangel Founding member of National Coalition on the Divided Families. Consultant to the Divided Families USA

Jieun Baek. Ph.D. Founding member of DFUS Advisor

Jong Hwa Lee. Professor. Author. Founding member of National Coalition on the Divided Families. Advisor

JD Kim, Attorney