South Korea’s Minister of Unification Takes Action on North Korean Human Rights
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Minister Kim Yung Ho argued that considering the recent increase in defectors up to 180, cultural content such as dramas, sitcoms, and movies has permeated education with ideologies contrary to those of North Korea. He anticipates leading international cooperation by publishing the North Korean Human Rights Roadmap to raise awareness of the human rights situation in North Korean society.
Minister Kim Yung Ho stated at a foreign press corps meeting held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, in the afternoon of the 12th, “We will block North Korea’s illegal foreign currency earnings such as illegal arms trade, cyber hacking, overseas worker dispatch, and maritime smuggling through more detailed and strengthened sanctions against North Korea with the international community in the future.”
He also stated, “North Korea is currently heavily influenced by the alternative culture called Hallyu (Korean Wave),” and “It shows that the consciousness of North Koreans is gradually changing.” He added, “North Korea facing such a crisis shows various political and military movements.”
Minister Kim highlighted this year’s achievements in North Korean human rights issues, stating, ‘We have supported the resumption of the ‘North Korean Human Rights Verification Group’ after seven years and emphasized cooperation with the international community on North Korean human rights, including hosting the ‘International Dialogue on North Korean Human Rights’ next week.’ He also expressed a commitment to actively address the issues where the role of the Ministry of Unification is essential, such as focusing on the forced repatriation of defectors in China, similar to the concentrated attention given to the issue this year in the international community.
Minister Kim also said, “We are pushing for the publication of a report on the perception of North Korea’s economic and social conditions, analyzing the results of in-depth interviews with about 6,000 defectors over the past decade, and we will continue to publish the North Korean Human Rights Report, which was first disclosed this year, to broaden the consensus on the seriousness of human rights issues.”
On the other hand, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lim Soo-seok, expressed deep regret in a briefing about North Korea publishing a human rights report designating the United States and others as human rights-abusing countries. He stated, “On the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we hope North Korea will listen to the international community’s voice and reflect on itself.”
By. Young Hoon Park
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