US Lawmakers Scrutinize China, North Korea's Expanded Repression Tactics

A recent House hearing will examine transnational repression tactics used by China and North Korea, which have expanded to target individuals in American communities and universities.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee's East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee has scheduled 'Lives, Not Leverage: The Long Arm Of China And North Korea's Repression' for September 16. This hearing aims to shed light on the various methods employed by these countries, including overseas police stations, intelligence operations targeting critics abroad, online harassment, and coercion-by-proxy tactics.

According to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, China also engages in undermining free speech at universities, abuses the INTERPOL red notice system, and leverages extradition treaties. North Korea has strengthened laws for citizen reporting of suspicious activities, increased mass surveillance, and enforces a shoot-on-sight border order, which originated from a 2020 Covid-19 related decree.

The hearing will feature Rep. Young Kim (R-CA-40) as the chair of the subcommittee and human rights activist Deborah Choi testifying as a witness.