The nominee for U.S. special envoy for North Korea human rights issues pledged Thursday to "actively" assist Japan's efforts to resolve the issue of Pyongyang's kidnappings of Japanese decades ago.
"The United States continues to be concerned about Japan's abducted citizens," as well as South Korean prisoners of war and abductees, Robert King said in prepared remarks during his confirmation hearing.
"If confirmed, I will participate actively in diplomatic efforts to support our partners in the resolution of these issues," he said. During the question and answer session, he called North Korea's abductions of Japanese citizens "one of the most egregious" human rights violations.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il apologized for Pyongyang's 1970s and '80s abductions of Japanese nationals during his September 2002 Pyongyang summit with then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who managed two bring home five abductees. The North claims they were the only survivors.