U.S. House Unanimously Passes North Korea Human Rights Act

Chosun Ilbo ^ | 07/22/04 | N/A

[TigerLikesRooster]

U.S. House Unanimously Passes North Korea Human Rights Act

U.S. Congressman Jim Leach, who submitted the North Korea Human Rights Act

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed on Wednesday (local time) the North Korea Human Rights Act of 2004, which calls for the U.S. government to be actively involved in the North Korean human rights issue and protect North Korean defectors. The bill specifically enumerates for the U.S. to take certain steps like £ including the North Korean human rights issue as a major topic of discussion with Northeast Asian states; £ providing generous financial support for North Korean human rights groups; £ expansion of radio service to North Korea; £ strengthening inspections of the distribution of humanitarian assistance; £ recognizing defectors as refugees and establishing international refugee camps; and £ permitting defectors to apply for asylum in the United States.

The bill calls for yearly totals of US$24 million -- including US$2 million for activities improving human rights in North Korea, US$2 million to promoting freedom of information in North Korea and US$20 million to refugee assistance -- to be given in aid from the 2005 fiscal year.

The bill takes the from of an advisory, and is not as strong as one that would compel the U.S. administration to involve itself in the North Korean human rights issue. If the bill passes through the Senate and officially become law, however, it is expected to have greatly influence not only U.S. North Korea policy, but also how each country approaches the North Korean human rights issue and the status of refugees.

The bill, introduced in November by Rep. Jim Leach, chairman of the House Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, had passed through the House International Relations Committee but floundered in the Judiciary Committee. On July 16, it was submitted to the House. The bill was presented before the House at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday (local time) and passed unanimously in only 13 minutes.

In accordance with the bill's passing by the House, it will soon be submitted to the Senate for deliberation. If the Senate passes it, it would become the first ever law on the North Korean human rights issue. Another bill that includes tough measures seeking the collapse of North Korea -- the North Korea Freedom Act -- has also been handed to the Senate, but deliberations have yet to begin. It's unclear whether the Senate would deliberate on these two bills together or separately.

As soon as the bill was passed, Rep. Leach stressed in a statement that the North Korea Human Rights Act was brought about by the sincere desire for progress in human rights, refugee protection and transparency in humanitarian assistance. He denied that the law was a tactic concealing hidden strategies seeking the collapse of the North Korean regime.

North Korean human rights groups in Washington welcomed the passing of the bill.

Suzanne Scholte of the Defense Forum, which has worked for North Korean human rights, said Wednesday was a great day for the North Korean people, and called the U.S. House of representatives a "true citizen's assembly" for reflecting American concerns about the pain suffered by "brothers and sisters" under the "barbaric" Kim Jong-il regime in North Korea.

Nam Jae-jung of the AEGIS Foundation, a North Korean defector protection group, said that if one reflects upon North Korean human rights and the dire situation faced by defectors, the bill is insufficient, but since it represents a start to approaching the North Korean human rights issue through legislation, it was a historic first step.

[TigerLikesRooster]

There are two things to lay the groundwork for the regime change in N. Korea.

1. North Korea Human Rights Act and North Korea Freedom Act
2. Use of Taiwan and Japan to entice China's cooperation

The news of relatively quick and safe relocation to America will travel fast into N. Korea. N. Koreans will escape in large numbers. The intended result is to destabilize N. Korea politically, by instigating sizable exodus. N. Korean regime is already building 400km wall along Sino-N, Korean border to prevent people from getting in or out. They abruptly ceased their fledgling cell-phone service. Ryongchon explosion must have spooked them to close security leaks at all cost.

The next item in the destablization menu is probably covert ops. Overt use of the military could be used to tie down N. Korean forces, which could otherwise be sent to quell coup, uprising, or mass exodus. The offensive use of the military would really be the last resort.

Wearing down of N. Korean regime would be commencing in earnets if Bush is re-elected and N. Korean regime does not fold.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[AmericanInTokyo]

some racists here in FR did not like this idea, if you recall, but I'll bet 95% of Freepers are saying, along with a unanimous US Congress, EAGLES UP!! !!!GOOD NEWS!!!

[RockinRight]

It is good news.

[Steel Wolf]

It is a historic first step. On a problem wound so tightly as North Korea, sometimes indirect pressure can be the best kind. If we can encourage more defections, that has the potential to cause real instability.

I don't think that, given the political and social structure of North Korea, that they'll be able to do the 'pressure valve' release of malcontents that Castro has done in Cuba for so long. Mass defections, especially of higher tier cadres, could really turn the DPRK inside out.

[SevenofNine]

Rack Congress

I don't know about you but if we ever found out about North Korea infamous GULUG you think the world be shock

I doubt it

[SunkenCiv]

Excellent. Particularly when it goes to the Senate. Anyone who dares to vote against it (other than Kerry, who will skip the vote anyway) must be made to pay at the ballot box.