"When Watching Korean Dramas Means Execution by Shooting"… North Korean Human Rights Foundation Buried in Ruling and Opposition Party Conflicts

Delay in Launching North Korea Human Rights Foundation Amid Ruling and Opposition Power Struggle
Ministry of Unification and People Power Party Recommendations Completed... Democratic Party 'No News'
Hanbyun "No Legal Action Taken, Lawsuit for Inaction Planned"

Ingonggi

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The launch of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation has been delayed for over six years due to partisan conflicts between ruling and opposition parties, rendering efforts to improve North Korean human rights issues futile. Pro-North Korea human rights organizations have indicated possible legal action against the National Assembly and the Democratic Party of Korea, which have been uncooperative in establishing the foundation, escalating the controversy.

According to the Ministry of Unification on the 7th, the government is required to establish the North Korean Human Rights Foundation under the North Korean Human Rights Act enacted in 2016. The organization is intended to investigate the human rights situation in North Korea and conduct related research and policy development. However, the foundation's launch has been delayed for more than six years. The foundation is to have up to 12 directors, including a chairman, but the Democratic Party has not recommended candidates for the opposition party's share of directors.

Among the director candidates, two are to be recommended by the Ministry of Unification, and the remaining ten are to be equally recommended by the ruling and opposition parties. In September, the Ministry of Unification recommended Professor Lee Jung-hoon of Yonsei University's Graduate School of International Studies and Kim Beom-su, head of the non-profit organization SaveNK, as government nominees, and the People Power Party also submitted five director candidates to the National Assembly Secretariat. In contrast, the Democratic Party has taken no significant action other than stating that it is "under internal discussion."

While the government and political circles are discordant, international concern over North Korean human rights issues is growing. According to Voice of America (VOA) on the same day, 45 organizations including the North Korea Rights Network (HRNK), British Lord Alton, and Thomas Ojea Quintana, former UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean human rights, sent an open letter to the UN Security Council member states urging the resumption of discussions on North Korean human rights issues.

In the letter, they pointed out that Security Council-level discussions on North Korean human rights have been suspended since 2018 and emphasized that "this could send a wrong message that the North Korean authorities can continue to commit human rights violations with impunity." Specifically, they noted that under the Anti-Reactionary Thought and Culture Expulsion Law enacted by North Korea in December 2020, distributors of external video materials face the death penalty.

In fact, it was reported by Radio Free Asia (RFA) that in October, two teenage youths in North Korea who watched and distributed South Korean movies and dramas were publicly executed.

Pro-North Korea human rights organizations have called for government and National Assembly action, even suggesting legal measures. The Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea (Hanbyun) and others plan to file an administrative lawsuit at the Seoul Administrative Court against Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun and National Assembly Secretary-General Lee Kwang-jae by the 29th if the Democratic Party does not recommend opposition party director candidates.

Earlier, five director candidates recommended by the ruling party, including Honorary Chairman Kim Tae-hoon of Hanbyun, sent two certified letters last month to National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo and Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Hong-geun, requesting the recommendation of five Democratic Party nominees for the North Korean Human Rights Foundation directors.

Honorary Chairman Kim Tae-hoon of Hanbyun said, "It is a violation of international human rights norms and an abetment of crimes against humanity to enact a law to prevent the infringement of basic rights of North Korean residents and then neglect it for over six years. We plan to file an administrative lawsuit for inaction against the National Assembly and the Democratic Party, which have failed to take the necessary measures (director recommendations) as required by law."

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