U.N. General Assembly To Talk On North Korea’s Human Rights Issues

UN General Assembly

UN General Assembly
(Photo : Gabriel Rodriguez)
Yonhap News reported that representatives from all U.N. nations will be gathering at the United Nations General Assembly to discuss North Korea's human rights issues at the first ever "North Korea Human Rights High-Level Talks". Representatives from Korea, the United States including State Secretary John Kerry and even Soo-yong Lee, DPRK's minister for foreign affairs will be present.

After the most COI (Commission of Inquiry of Human Rights) recent report on the situation of North Korea's citizens, the problem of human rights violation in this country has started to receive global attention and many political experts have expressed that there may be a significant change in both America and Korea's foreign policies towards this rogue state.

In a speech he gave on the 12th, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State stated that North Korea's concentration labor camps must all be disbanded. This is the first time that a high ranking member of the U.S. administration has talked about the labor camps, which DPRK is most sensitive about in public, signaling the U.S. government's growing interest in the problem.

On the surface it is possible that North Korea is receiving so much pressure from the international community regarding the treatment of its citizens because of the 3 detained American hostages. However, the 6 Party Talks representatives of both South Korea and the U.S. have met in Washington and have agreed to cooperate in their diplomatic strategies towards North Korea in light of their reactivation of the Yeong-byeon nuclear reactor.

With the entire international community aware of its nuclear capabilities and the existence of penal labor camps, North Korea appears to be working to break out of its corner with their minister for foreign affairs, Soo-yong Lee. Even now, North Korea is probably the world's most isolated nation in the world, and they do not need another policy passed placing further sanctions or even military pressure on their door step.

Meanwhile, North Korea's Chosun Central TV announced that DPRK is always ready to discuss the issue of their citizens' human rights.

At the U.N. General Assembly, many representatives from all major nations will be present including most ambassadors of Europe and Japan's foreign minister, Humio Gishida.