Choi Jong-moon Vice Minister "Strong Condemnation of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Choi Jong-moon, the 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated on the 1st (local time) at the United Nations Human Rights Council, “The Republic of Korea strongly condemns Russia's aggression.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At the high-level session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland, Vice Minister Choi said regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, “It is a clear violation of the principles of the UN Charter,” and “For this reason, Korea voted in favor of convening an urgent debate on the human rights situation in Ukraine yesterday (February 28).”

He continued, “The use of force causing innocent casualties cannot be justified under any circumstances,” emphasizing, “It is urgent to ensure rapid, safe, and unhindered access to humanitarian aid for those in need in Ukraine to protect civilians.”

Vice Minister Choi explained that Korea is closely monitoring the human rights and humanitarian situation in North Korea amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, “The international community must continue engagement with North Korea to substantially improve the human rights and living standards of its people.”

Vice Minister Choi mentioned Korea’s efforts to respond to sexual violence related to conflicts, referring to the ‘comfort women’ issue.

He stated, “The only way to honor the brave survivors, like the late grandmother Kim Hak-sun, a comfort woman victim who testified about her painful experience, is to remember the atrocities committed against them and restore their honor and dignity,” adding, “Feeling a historical responsibility, we will continue to listen to the voices of the survivors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.