US to restrict visas over obstruction in child abduction cases — Korea Herald
The United States will restrict visa issuance to individuals responsible for obstructing the prompt resolution of international parental child abduction cases. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the new policy, Korea Herald reports.
According to Rubio, the restrictions will also apply to people involved in such obstruction and their immediate family members. The policy will apply to individuals who deliberately fail to ensure the enforcement of or comply with laws, policies, or court decisions aimed at resolving such cases and returning children to their country of habitual residence.
Hague Convention report
In its annual report on international parental child abduction, the US Department of State named South Korea and 13 other states as countries demonstrating a persistent pattern of noncompliance with the 1980 Hague Convention. The convention provides for the prompt return of a child retained by one parent to the country of their habitual residence.
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The report states that South Korean authorities regularly failed to enforce court decisions ordering the return of children in abduction cases. In particular, according to the Department of State, a Korean court order to return a child to the United States in a case unresolved since 2019 was not enforced for the seventh time last year.
South Korea was also cited in reports as a country with a pattern of noncompliance with the convention in 2022 and in every subsequent annual report through last year. The Department of State noted that Korean competent authorities in one case lasting more than 12 months did not locate the abducted child or make serious efforts to do so.
Other countries mentioned
In addition to South Korea, the report mentions Argentina, the Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Ecuador, Egypt, Honduras, India, Jordan, Peru, Poland, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Department of State said it would continue active engagement with Korean authorities and consider using the full range of tools provided under the Goldman Act to resolve such cases.
