Congress and U.S.–North Korean Relations: The Role of the Entrepreneur

Abstract

The executive branch has been the chief architect of U.S. policy to prevent North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons. However, Congress has also played an important role influencing that policy. Using North Korea policy, the authors examine the increasing role members of Congress play as foreign-policy entrepreneurs.

Keywords:

• agreed framework
• congressional entrepreneurs
• congressional travel
• North Korea
• North Korean Human Rights Act
• U.S.–North Korean relations

Acknowledgments

The views expressed here are the authors’ alone and do not represent the official position of the U.S. Department of the Navy, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

Notes

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5. Samuel Kernell, Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership (Washington DC: CQ Press, 2006).

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7. Frans R. Bax, “The Legislative-Executive Relationship in Foreign Policy: New Partnership or New Competition?” Orbis 20 (Winter 1977): 881–904.

8. Carter and Scott, “Taking the Lead,” 52–53.

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10. Ibid.

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16. Hathaway and Tama, “The U.S. Congress and North Korea,” 714.

17. North Korea Advisory Group, “Report to the Speaker U.S. House of Representatives,” November 1999, http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/dprk/nkag-report.htm (accessed June 19, 2008).

18. Hathaway and Tama, “The U.S. Congress and North Korea,” 714.

19. Ibid., 732.

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22. Republican Senator Robert Smith of New Hampshire also journeyed to North Korea in 1991 and again in 1992. His trips were focused on retrieving the remains of U.S. servicemen missing in the Korean War. However, during his 1992 trip, he urged the DPRK to comply with IAEA inspection demands, though he was instructed not to negotiate with the DPRK.

23. Mark E. Manyin, “U.S. Assistance to North Korea,” CRS Report for Congress, April 26, 2005, CRS 1–2.

24. Andrew S. Natsios, The Great North Korean Famine (Washington, DC: U.S. Institute for Peace, 2001), 150.

25. Margaret Warner, “Interview with Representatives Curt Weldon and Eliot Engel,” News Hour, June 6, 2003, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/jan-june03/nkorea_06–06-3.html (accessed March 10, 2008).

26. Ibid.

27. Ibid.

28. Jonathan Yang, “Congressional Delegation Visits North Korea to East Tension,” Arms Control Today, July/August 2003, http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2003_07–08/weldon_julaug03 (accessed September 22, 2009).

29. “Congressional Delegation Cancels Trip to North Korea at White House Request,” Arms Control Today, November 2003, http://www.armscontrol.org/node/3249 (accessed September 22, 2009).

30. Ibid.

31. Hathaway and Tama, “The U.S. Congress and North Korea,” 711.

32. Jon Mays, “N. Korea Warms to Nuke Talk,” San Mateo Daily Journal, January 13, 2005.

33. John Ruwitch, “US Congressman Has Impression N. Korea Ready to Talk,” Reuters, January 11, 2005.

34. Reuben Staines, “US Congress Delegation to Visit NK Next Week,” Korea Times, January 1, 2005.

35. “Reps. Engel, Weldon, Members of Congress Convince North Korea to Return to Six Party Nuclear Talks,” U.S. Federal News Service, January 14, 2005.

36. “Joint Statement of the Fourth Round of the Six-Party Talks,” September 19, 2005, http://www.state.gov/p/eap/regional/c15455.htm (accessed July 22, 2010).

37. Dick K. Nanto, “North Korean Counterfeiting of U.S. Currency,” CRS RL33324, June 12, 2009, http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL33324.pdf (accessed April 26, 2011).

38. Stephen Mihm, “No Ordinary Counterfeit,” New York Times, July 23, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/23/magazine/23counterfeit.html (accessed September 22, 2009).

39. Roxana Tiron and J. Taylor Rushing, “Congress, Pentagon Ramp up North Korea Pressure,” The Hill, June 2, 2009, http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/congress-pentagon-ramp-up-north-korea-pressure-2009–06-02.html (accessed August 14, 2009).

40. The letter was signed by Republican Senators Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, John Cornyn of Texas, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, John Ensign of Nevada, Mike Enzi of Wyoming, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, and David Vitter of Louisiana.

41. Rebecca MacKinnon, “US–N Korea: Mixing Nuke, Human Rights Diplomacy,” Asia Times Online, May 6, 2004, http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/FE06Dg01.html (accessed February 29, 2008).

42. Karin J. Lee, “The North Korean Human Rights Act and other Congressional Agendas,” Nautilus Institute Policy Forum Online, PFO 4-39A, October 7, 2004, http://www.nautilus.org/fora/security/0439A_Lee.html (accessed February 29, 2008).

43. Refugees International, “Acts of Betrayal: The Challenge of Protecting North Koreans in China,” UN Refugee Agency, April 2005, http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/47a6eba50.html (accessed April 28, 2011).

44. MacKinnon, “US–N Korea: Mixing Nuke, Human Rights Diplomacy.”

45. Manyin, “U.S. Assistance to North Korea,” CRS-6.

46. “U.S. Institution of ‘North Korean Human Rights Act’ Denounced,” Korean Central News Agency, October 25, 2004, http://www.kcna.co.jp (accessed March 12, 2008).

47. Dan Eggen, “Bush May Reach South Korea before New Ambassador Does,” Washington Post, July 28, 2008.

48. Christopher R. Hill, “North Korean Six-Party Talks and Implementation Activities,” Statement before the Senate Committee Armed Services, July 31, 2008, http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rm/2008/07/107590.htm (accessed August 4, 2008).

49. Miles A. Pomper, “Congress Approves Iran, NK Measures,” Arms Control Today (November 2006): 48–49.

50. Office of Senator Harry Reid, “Congress Passes New Measures to Hold Administration Accountable for Iran, North Korea Policy,” US Federal News (October 2, 2006).

51. “Congress Passes New Measures to Hold Administration Accountable for Iran, North Korea Policy,” US Federal News Service (October 2, 2006).