U.S. Spends $24 Million Annually in Support of North Korean Defectors

On July 21, the U.S. Congress’ plenary session unanimously passed the “North Korean Human Rights Act,” which recommends the United States government get involved in North Korean human rights issues and protect North Korean defectors as refugees.

This act is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate after September, and if it is enacted as a law after passing through the Senate, it will bring about considerable changes in the U.S. policy towards North Korea and in NGO activities for North Korean human rights, as well as for the protection of North Korean defectors.

Ten Congressmen from both parties, including Jim Leach (Republican), chair of the House Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, submitted the act in March, which consists of three parts: promoting North Korean human rights, providing aid for North Koreans, and protecting North Korean defectors.

This act recommends that the executive branch include North Korean human rights as a principal issue when the U.S. government negotiates with the Kim Jong-il regime or northeastern Asian countries, and provide financial support for NGOs which give humanitarian aid to the democratization of North Korea, its defectors, and its people. In addition, the bill recommends the executive branch to expand broadcasts and radio supplies to North Korea.

Along with this, the act includes clauses to recognize North Korean defectors as refugees and permit them to apply for asylum in the United States, and also to establish an international refugee camp.

Moreover, it allows the U.S. government to spend $2 million each to improve North Korean human rights and to enhance liberalization, and $20 million to support North Korean refugees.

Even though the bill only recommends and does not force any details, thereby acknowledging the executive branch’s discretionary power to negotiate, Congress intends to pressure the government by asking it to submit reports on North Korean refugee situations and policies toward defectors.

A Congress official said that the “North Korean Freedom Act,” a separate law submitted in November last year by senators, including Sam Brownback, which calls for tougher measures that seek the collapse of North Korea, is currently being deliberated in the U.S. Senate; however, at this moment, it is hard to expect the bill to pass.

Soon-Taek Kwon maypole@donga.com