Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, released the following statement, following reports that North Korea has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment and to a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. The announcement comes as the Obama Administration is finalizing details for a proposed package of 240,000 metric tons of food aid to North Korea:

"Years of getting duped by North Korea should tell us that verification on their turf is extremely difficult, if not impossible. That applies to food aid distribution, where the military has stolen food aid, or nuclear disarmament.

"Last year, I passed legislation prohibiting food aid to any country that may divert it for unauthorized use. Congress must ensure that the Administration is not skirting this law.

"I was hoping that the death of Kim Jong-Il would prompt a rethink of our North Korea policy. Well, Kim Jong-Il is dead, but the Administration is following the failed course of its predecessor."  

In 2011, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), successfully offered an amendment in the House to prohibit food aid to North Korea. The final text of the Agriculture Appropriations conference report prohibits international food aid to countries that do not provide adequate monitoring and which divert food for inappropriate purposes. The U.S. has provided about $800 million in food aid to North Korea since 1996.

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