[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 145 (Tuesday, August 10, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. HIRONO (for herself, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Duckworth, and Ms. 
        Cortez Masto):
  S. 2688. A bill to require consultations on reuniting Korean 
Americans with family members in North Korea; to the Committee on 
Foreign Relations.
  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the ``Korean War 
Divided Families Reunification Act'' with my colleague Senator 
Sullivan. This bipartisan piece of legislation would open opportunities 
for Korean Americans to be included in reunions with their relatives 
who remain in North Korea. Many first generation Korean Americans, now 
in their 80's and 90's, are waiting to be reunited with their parents, 
spouses, children, siblings, and cousins. They should not have to wait 
any longer.
  One of the tragic legacies of the Korean War is the permanent 
separation of Korean families. Sixty-eight years ago, the United 
States, People's Republic of China, North Korea, and South Korea agreed 
to an armistice which drew a new border between North Korea from South 
Korea. Since then, there has been little contact between South Koreans 
and their family members who remained in North Korea, and almost no 
contact between Korean Americans and their loved ones in North Korea.
  North and South Korea first agreed to hold reunions of divided 
families in 1985. There have been 21 face-to face reunions and multiple 
video-link reunions, which have given approximately 24,500 Koreans the 
opportunity to briefly reunite with loved ones. There is no official 
channel, however, for Korean Americans to participate in these 
reunions.
  Many Korean Americans long for an opportunity to meet their North 
Korean relatives. My constituent, Carol Li from Honolulu, wants to 
reconnect with her family's past and learn more about where her 
grandparents were from. Carol's maternal grandparents fled from North 
Korea to the South during the Korean War, leaving behind their 
siblings. Unfortunately, her grandparents passed away before they were 
able to reconnect with their siblings who remained in North Korea. 
While she was teaching English in South Korea, she grew more curious 
about her North Korean relatives and the war that divided them. With 
passage of this legislation, Carol hopes she can participate in future 
reunions to meet her North Korean relatives. She deserves the 
opportunity to do so.
  The legislation I am introducing would open official channels between 
Korean Americans and their families in North Korea by directing the 
U.S. Secretary of State to consult with his counterpart in South Korea 
to identify opportunities for Korean Americans to participate in future 
family reunions. It also directs the State Department's Special Envoy 
on North Korean Human Rights Issues to consult the Korean American 
community on efforts to reunite families, including opportunities for 
video reunions.
  Time is of the essence for those who have been seeking the 
opportunity to reconnect with their loved ones for nearly seven 
decades. Thanks to the leadership of Rep. Grace Meng of New York, the 
House of Representatives passed this legislation on July 19, 2021 by a 
vote of 415 to 0. It is time for the Senate to act. I call on my Senate 
colleagues to swiftly pass this bill. Thank you.
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