September 20, 2001
For Immediate Release

Congressman Kirk Meets With Secretary Powell - Raises Reunification of North Korean Families With Their Korean- American Relatives

Powell Says: ‘This is uppermost on my agenda with North Korea.’

         Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), joined by a delegation representing the Korean-American Coalition of the Midwest, met today with Secretary of State Colin Powell to deliver the results of a nation-wide petition drive calling on the United States to raise reunification of North Korean families with their Korean-American relatives during talks with the government of North Korea.

         “Nearly 500,000 Korean-Americans have relatives that they are unable to see in North Korea,” said Congressman Kirk. “While the North-South dialogue has led to the reunification of South Korean families with their North Korean relatives, this issue has been absent from discussions between the United States and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.”

         During this afternoon’s meeting at the State Department, Secretary Powell noted that during his conversation earlier today with the Foreign Minister of Korea about the current alliance against terrorism, he touched on the reunification issue.

         “This is uppermost on my agenda with North Korea,” said Secretary Powell. “I have a lot of affection for Korea, I served there. This is not a military matter, nor is it a diplomatic matter, this is in the humanitarian interest of our citizens.”

         Congressman Kirk, speaking on behalf of the delegation, told Secretary Powell today, “There is no higher priority issue that unites all Korean-Americans than reunification. There are thousands of Korean-American families that have been separated from their relatives currently living in North Korea since the Korean War over half a century ago. My congressional district is home to many aging Korean-Americans who are anxious to be reunited with their loved ones.”

         Powell went on to say, “Time is of the essence given the age of the people who have been divided.”

         The Korean-American Coalition of the Midwest (KACM) sponsored a nation-wide petition drive calling for the U.S. government to raise the issue of family reunification with officials representing the North Korean government. The coalition collected nearly 20,000 signatures.

         Kirk, who requested today’s meeting with Secretary Powell, was joined by key Korean- American leaders, including: Mr. Edward Rim of Barrington, IL., KACM board president, Ms. Chahee Stanfield of Chicago, IL, Mr. Ho-youn Kwon of Chicago, IL, Ms. Ye Sook (Sue) Ahn of Glenview, IL, Mr. Steve Kim of Northbrook, IL, and Mr. Johnathan Wonjong Chee, counsel for the Korean-American Association of Chicago.

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