U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) | Contributed photo
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) | Contributed photo
U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) released a statement this week urging the U.S. and North Korean governments to facilitate the reunification of more families separated during the Korean War.
“Though hundreds of Korean families were reunited this week in North Korea, the fact remains that more than 66,000 families have been divided for decades." Kirk said. "The State Department should continue to prioritize these reunification efforts and create an official channel to assist in the reunification of Korean Americans, including 60,000 in Illinois, with their relatives in North Korea.”
More than 60 years after the end of the Korean War, hundreds of Korean families remain separated. Kirk and Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) introduced Senate Resolution 190 in June, which urges prioritizing reunification efforts by the State Department. It also encourages North Korea to allow reunions between separated relatives.
Kirk remains a passionate advocate for the divided Korean families, serving as co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Commission on Divided Families from 2001 to 2010. The commission worked to identify and document the members of separated families and urged North Korea to allow reunions.
Alerts Sign-up