22 U.S.C. § 7817: Special Envoy on North…

Summary

The President must appoint a Special Envoy for North Korean human rights at the State Department, with Senate approval. The person should be well-known in the human rights field, have the rank of ambassador, and serve until the President removes them. The Envoy’s job is to coordinate and push for better basic rights for people in North Korea and to help protect North Koreans who flee, working with the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The Envoy must help plan and carry out related programs; talk with North Korean officials; work with the United Nations, the European Union, North Korea, and other Northeast Asian countries; consult NGOs; recommend funding for activities in sections 7812 and 7814; review protection strategies like training and exchanges; and make a plan to support UN Commission on Human Rights Resolution 2004/13. The Envoy must send a report to the right congressional committees within 180 days after October 18, 2004, and then every year through 2022.

Title 22, §7817

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Special Envoy

The President shall appoint a special envoy for North Korean human rights issues within the Department of State (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Special Envoy”), by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Special Envoy should be a person of recognized distinction in the field of human rights who shall have the rank of ambassador and shall hold the office at the pleasure of the President.

(b)Central objective

The central objective of the Special Envoy is to coordinate and promote efforts to improve respect for the fundamental human rights of the people of North Korea, including, in coordination with the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the protection of those people who have fled as refugees.

(c)Duties and responsibilities

The Special Envoy shall—

(1)participate in the formulation and the implementation of activities carried out pursuant to this chapter;

(2)engage in discussions with North Korean officials regarding human rights;

(3)support international efforts to promote human rights and political freedoms in North Korea, including coordination and dialogue between the United States and the United Nations, the European Union, North Korea, and the other countries in Northeast Asia;

(4)consult with non-governmental organizations who have attempted to address human rights in North Korea;

(5)make recommendations regarding the funding of activities authorized in section 7812 and 7814 of this title;

(6)review strategies for improving protection of human rights in North Korea, including technical training and exchange programs; and

(7)develop an action plan for supporting implementation of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights Resolution 2004/13.

(d)Report on activities

Not later than 180 days after October 18, 2004, and annually thereafter through 2022, the Special Envoy shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the activities undertaken in the preceding 12 months under subsection (c).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 115–198 substituted “2022” for “2017”. 2012—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 112–172 substituted “2017” for “2012”. 2008—Pub. L. 110–346, § 8(1), substituted “North Korean human rights issues” for “human rights in North Korea” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–346, § 8(2), in first sentence, substituted “North Korean human rights issues” for “human rights in North Korea” and inserted “, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate” before period at end and, in second sentence, inserted “who shall have the rank of ambassador and shall hold the office at the pleasure of the President” before period at end. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–346, § 8(3), inserted “, including, in coordination with the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the protection of those people who have fled as refugees” after “North Korea”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–346, § 8(4), added par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) to (6) as (2) to (7), respectively, and substituted “section 7812 and 7814” for “section 7812” in par. (5). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–346, § 8(5), substituted “thereafter through 2012” for “for the subsequent 5 year-period”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Consultations on Reuniting Korean Americans With Family Members in North Korea Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LV, § 5599B, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3400, formerly set out as a note under this section, was transferred and is set out as a note under section 7818 of this title.

§7817 Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues