Government Launches 'North Korea Human Rights Foundation'... "National Assembly, Recommend Directors"

Government Sends 12th Official Letter Requesting Cooperation from National Assembly
"North Korean Human Rights Act Reflects Bipartisan Spirit of Consensus"

The government has requested cooperation from the National Assembly to launch the 'North Korean Human Rights Foundation,' whose establishment has been delayed for seven years due to partisan conflicts. Although the foundation's board candidates must be recommended equally by both ruling and opposition parties, it appears the government intends to persuade the Democratic Party of Korea, which has refused to recommend candidates since 2018.

The Ministry of Unification announced on the 31st that it sent an official letter to the National Assembly on the 30th requesting the recommendation of directors for the North Korean Human Rights Foundation and members for the 2nd North Korean Human Rights Promotion Advisory Committee, in accordance with the North Korean Human Rights Act. This is the 12th time the government has sent such a letter requesting director recommendations from the National Assembly. The Ministry emphasized, "We hope the National Assembly recalls the spirit of consensus at the time of the enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act and the severe human rights conditions faced by North Korean residents."

Office of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation with Closed Doors
Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, in March 2016 during the Park Geun-hye administration, the 'North Korean Human Rights Act' was passed in the plenary session of the National Assembly without a single opposing vote. It was regarded as a bipartisan agreement on the issue of North Korean human rights. According to this law, the government must establish the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, an organization tasked with investigating the human rights situation in North Korea and conducting related research and policy development. However, the foundation's launch has been delayed for seven years as of this year. The foundation is composed of up to 12 directors, including the chairman, but the Democratic Party has not recommended candidates for the opposition party's share of directors.

Among the candidates, two are to be recommended by the Ministry of Unification, and the remaining ten are to be recommended equally by the ruling and opposition parties. In September last year, the Ministry recommended Professor Lee Jung-hoon of Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies and Kim Beom-su, head of the nonprofit SaveNK, as government nominees, and the People Power Party also submitted five candidates to the National Assembly Secretariat. In contrast, the Democratic Party has only repeated that it is "discussing internally." The only time the Democratic Party recommended candidates was in January 2018 when it was the ruling party, but at that time, the opposition was divided into the Liberty Korea Party and the Bareun Party, and they failed to agree on director recommendations.

Kim Young-ho, Minister of Unification Photo by Yonhap News

Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho is known to have a special determination to launch the North Korean Human Rights Foundation. He is reported to have personally met opposition figures to persuade them and stressed the necessity of launching the foundation. The government plans to use the argument that the foundation's role is not limited to 'improving North Korean human rights' but also includes responsibilities related to 'humanitarian aid,' which is highly valued by the progressive camp.

An official from the Ministry of Unification emphasized, "Article 12 of the North Korean Human Rights Act, which requires the National Assembly to recommend foundation directors equally from negotiation groups, reflects the bipartisan spirit of agreement." The official added, "By April 4 next month, it will be seven years since the enactment and enforcement of the North Korean Human Rights Act, yet the foundation has not been operational," and reiterated, "The government's North Korean human rights policy is also suffering serious setbacks."

Meanwhile, People Power Party lawmaker Tae Young-ho pointed out at the '2023 Korea Peninsula International Forum' held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, the day before, "Although the North Korean Human Rights Act was passed in 2016 through bipartisan agreement, the North Korean Human Rights Foundation has yet to be launched," adding, "While it took 11 years from the proposal in 2005 to the passage of the North Korean Human Rights Act, the law banning leaflets to North Korea was passed within six months after Kim Yo-jong of North Korea demanded it." At the same event, Kim Seok-woo, chairman of the North Korean Human Rights Citizens' Alliance and former vice minister of the Ministry of Unification, criticized, "It is shameful that the National Assembly has not implemented the law even seven years after its enactment."

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