WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following last week's announcement of President Obama nominating Robert King to be the Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) released the following statement:
"I applaud President Obama's nomination of Robert King to be the Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues. Bob King is exceptionally well qualified for this difficult diplomatic assignment. Congress created this position to underscore our concern for and commitment to improving the human rights situation in North Korea. Strong leadership in this area can increase awareness of human rights conditions in the North, and draw greater international attention to the issue. Progress on human rights by the North Korean government will be necessary if the North ever hopes to normalize relations with the United States and earn the respect of the international community that Pyongyang claims to seek."
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