Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that he will convene a hearing on Tuesday, March 5 entitled, “North Korea’s Criminal Activities:  Financing the Regime.”

Chairman Royce said:  “America’s North Korea policy has been nothing but a bipartisan failure.  From the Clinton Administration to the Bush Administration, to now, our government has taken the path of least resistance, hoping North Korea will do the right thing.  The Obama Administration has followed in the same footsteps.  We know that North Korea continues to engage in all types of illicit activities, from proliferation of weapons to counterfeiting U.S. currency, to finance their brutal regime.

“This hearing will identify the best strategy for cutting off North Korea’s access to hard currency in order to see real change.”

Tuesday, March 5

Hearing:  North Korea’s Criminal Activities:  Financing the Regime

10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building

Committee on Foreign Affairs

Rep. Ed Royce, Chairman

Invited witnesses include:

David Asher, Ph.D.
Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Center for a New American Security
(Former Senior Adviser, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and Coordinator, North Korea Working Group, U.S. Department of State)

Sung-Yoon Lee, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in Korean Studies
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Tufts University

The Honorable Joseph R. DeTrani
President
Intelligence and National Security Alliance
(Former Director, National Counter Proliferation Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence)

***See foreignaffairs.house.gov for updates. 

***Coverage note:  All Foreign Affairs Committee proceedings are webcast live at foreignaffairs.house.gov/live-video-feed.

Note:

Chairman Royce has long been a leader in Congress on issues relating to North Korea.  An original cosponsor of the North Korea Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2012, Royce is a former co-chair of the Congressional Korea Caucus, current co-chairman of the International Parliamentarians Coalition for North Korean Refugees and Human Rights, and former chairman of the U.S.-Republic of Korea Interparliamentary Exchange.  Additionally, he authored legislation to increase radio broadcasting into North Korea.  In 2007, Chairman Royce travelled to North Korea’s Mt. Kumgang development.

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