IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 91 

Encouraging reunions of divided Korean American families. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 6, 2014 

Mr. RANGEL (for himself, Mr. COBLE, Mr. CONYERS, and Mr. SAM JOHNSON

of Texas) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Encouraging reunions of divided Korean American families. 

Whereas the Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution 

referred to as ‘‘South Korea’’) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (hereinafter in this resolution referred to as ‘‘North Korea’’) remain divided since the armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953; 

Whereas the United States, which as a signatory to the armistice agreement as representing the United Nations 

Forces Command, and with 28,500 of its troops currently 

stationed in South Korea, has a stake in peace on the 

Korean Peninsula and is home to more than 1.7 million 

Americans of Korean descent; 

Whereas the division on the Korean Peninsula separated 

more than 10,000,000 Korean family members, including 

some who are now citizens of the United States; 


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•HCON 91 IH 

Whereas North Korea has recently resumed the family reunions with South Korea, which halted in 2010 due to 

escalated tensions between the two nations; 

Whereas the United States currently does not have diplomatic relations with North Korea, thereby excluding Korean Americans to participate in the family reunions; 

Whereas President George W. Bush on January 28, 2008, 

signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act 

for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181), which in 

section 1265 of such law required a report on family reunions between United States citizens and their relatives 

in North Korea; 

Whereas President Barack Obama on December 16, 2009, 

signed into law the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 

(Public Law 111–242), which urged the Special Representative on North Korea Policy to prioritize the issues 

involving Korean divided families; 

Whereas the number of more than 100,000 estimated divided 

family members in the United States last identified in 

2001 has been significantly dwindling as many of them 

have passed away; 

Whereas many Korean Americans are waiting for a chance to 

meet their relatives in North Korea for the first time in 

more than 60 years; 

Whereas North Korea’s willingness to start family reunions 

between Koreans in North Korea and the United States 

would signify making progress on the humanitarian front 

and foster dialogue towards building peace; and 

Whereas peace on the Korean Peninsula remains a long-term 

goal for the Governments of both North and South Korea 

and the United States, and would mean greater security 


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•HCON 91 IH 

and stability for the region and the world: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes the significance of North Korea’s 

4 willingness to resume family reunions between North 

5 and South Korea; 

6 (2) encourages North Korea to allow Korean 

7 Americans to meet with their divided families in 

8 North Korea; and 

9 (3) calls on North Korea to continue building 

10 goodwill that is conducive to peace on the Korean 

11 Peninsula. 

Æ 


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