HR 1273

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 12, 2025

Mr. Subramanyam (for himself, Mrs. Kim, Mr. Connolly, and Ms. Malliotakis) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of State to establish a national registry of Korean American divided families, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Korean American Divided Families National Registry Act”.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL REGISTRY OF KOREAN AMERICAN DIVIDED FAMILIES.

The Secretary of State, acting through the Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues or such other individual as the Secretary may designate, shall—

(1) collate information on Korean American families who wish to be reunited with family members in North Korea from which such Korean American families were divided after the signing of the Agreement Concerning a Military Armistice in Korea, signed at Panmunjom July 27, 1953 (commonly referred to as the “Korean War Armistice Agreement”), in anticipation of future reunions for such families and family members, including in-person and video reunions; and

(2) establish a private internal national registry of the names and other relevant information of such Korean American families—

(A) to host such future reunions in South Korea, the United States, or third countries; and

(B) to provide for a private internal repository of information about such Korean American families and family members in North Korea, including information about individuals who may be deceased.

SEC. 3. ACTIONS TO FACILITATE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH KOREA.

(a) In General.—The Secretary of State shall take such actions as may be necessary to ensure that any direct dialogue between the United States and North Korea includes progress towards holding future reunions for Korean American families and their family members in North Korea as described in section 2.

(b) Consultations.—The Secretary of State shall consult with the Government of the Republic of Korea in carrying out this section.

(c) Report.—No later than one year after enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on—

(1) the status of the national registry established pursuant to section 2(a)(2);

(2) the number of individuals included on the registry who—

(A) have met their family members in North Korea during previous reunions; and

(B) have yet to meet their family members in North Korea during previous reunions;

(3) a summary of responses by North Korea to requests to hold reunions of divided families; and

(4) a description of regulations in North Korea and actions taken by North Korea in the year previous to submission of each report that prevent the emigration of family members of Korean American families.

(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.—In this Act, “appropriate congressional committees” means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. <all>