Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, today released the following statement on the appointment of Julie Turner as Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues:

            “The State Department’s appointment of a Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues—something I have repeatedly called for—is a tremendous step forward in the United States’ efforts to hold Kim Jong-un’s brutal communist regime accountable for its atrocious human rights violations.

            A dedicated State Department veteran, Julie Turner has worked tirelessly throughout her career to promote human rights, and especially to improve human rights protections for the people of North Korea.

            The work of Special Envoy Turner, together with her South Korean counterpart Ambassador Shinwha Lee, will go a long way toward increasing scrutiny of the Kim regime and advancing the cause of human rights on the Korean peninsula.”

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