Human Rights First Supports Legislation Protecting North Korean Refugees

In October 2002, Senator Sam Brownback introduced the “North Korean Refugee Relief Act of 2002” (S.3122) that would remove a barrier to refugee and asylum eligibility for refugees from North Korea. This barrier is created by the fact that the United States does not recognize the government of North Korea and ordinarily imputes South Korean nationality to citizens of North Korea. Human Rights First wrote a letter to Senators Patrick Leahy and Orin Hatch, then Chair and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, strongly supporting the proposed legislation. In June of that year Human Rights First had testified before the Senate on the plight of refugees from North Korea.

On June 25, 2003 Senator Brownback re-introduced this legislation. Human Rights First strongly urges passage of this proposed legislation.