The President shall appoint a special envoy for North Korean human rights issues within the Department of State (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Special Envoy”), by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Special Envoy should be a person of recognized distinction in the field of human rights who shall have the rank of ambassador and shall hold the office at the pleasure of the President.

The central objective of the Special Envoy is to coordinate and promote efforts to improve respect for the fundamental human rights of the people of North Korea, including, in coordination with the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, the protection of those people who have fled as refugees.

The Special Envoy shall—

(1) participate in the formulation and the implementation of activities carried out pursuant to this chapter;

(2) engage in discussions with North Korean officials regarding human rights;

(3) support international efforts to promote human rights and political freedoms in North Korea, including coordination and dialogue between the United States and the United Nations, the European Union, North Korea, and the other countries in Northeast Asia;

(4) consult with non-governmental organizations who have attempted to address human rights in North Korea;

(5) make recommendations regarding the funding of activities authorized in sections 7812 and 7814 of this title;

(6) review strategies for improving protection of human rights in North Korea, including technical training and exchange programs; and

(7) develop an action plan for supporting implementation of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights Resolution 2004/13.

Not later than 180 days after October 18, 2004, and annually thereafter through 2022, the Special Envoy shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the activities undertaken in the preceding 12 months under subsection (c).

(Pub. L. 108–333, title I, § 107, Oct. 18, 2004, 118 Stat. 1292; Pub. L. 110–346, § 8, Oct. 7, 2008, 122 Stat. 3941; Pub. L. 112–172, § 7, Aug. 16, 2012, 126 Stat. 1309; Pub. L. 115–198, § 7(c), July 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 1523.)