U.S. Special Envoy for North Korea Human Rights Robert King says North Korea should immediately return people abducted by the North during the Korean War.

King said Thursday local time at the National Press Club in Washington that the abductees issue is tied to North Korean human rights issues of which the U.S. is concerned.

He added that North Korea’s human rights issues have an important influence on improving North Korea-U.S. relations.

King also said the U.S. actively supports diplomatic efforts by South Korea and Japan to resolve the issue of abductees. He noted in particular that the U.S. supports the resolution urging their immediate repatriation.