Witnesses testified about U.S. - Korea Relations. Topics included transferring the operational command of South Korean forces to their own command, the environmental cleanup of former U.S. military bases, and relations with North Korea. Witnesses stressed the importance of maintaining peace and security on the Korean peninsula. North Korea was discussed; topics included human rights abuses in North Korea, the plight of refugees and asylum seekers from North Korea, the nuclear threat represented by North Korea, and the poor economic conditions within the country. This was Chairman Hyde’s final hearing as chairman of the House Committee on International Relations.