US Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Arrives in Korea Today... Strengthening Pressure on North Korea and China

Special Envoy Julie Turner Meets Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol and Others
US-Korea Expected to Deliver Strong Message on North Korean Human Rights

Julie Turner, Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Julie Turner, the U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights at the State Department, will visit South Korea to mark the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI) report on North Korean human rights. Amid rising military tensions from North Korea, it is expected that senior U.S.-South Korea officials responsible for North Korean human rights will meet in Seoul to deliver a strong message to North Korea and China.

According to diplomatic sources, Special Envoy Turner will arrive in South Korea on the 14th. During the week, she is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol and hold talks with Jeon Young-hee, Head of the Peace and Diplomacy Planning Group, and Lee Shin-hwa, Ambassador for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights.

Turner’s visit demonstrates the strong commitment of the U.S. and South Korea to resolving North Korean human rights issues. The COI, the first official UN body dedicated to North Korean human rights, published its final report on February 17, 2014, concluding that widespread and systematic crimes against humanity were being committed in North Korea. This report is often referred to as the "Bible" of North Korean human rights records.

However, even after 10 years since the report’s release, the situation regarding North Korean human rights has not improved. Forced repatriation of North Korean defectors by China and harsh labor conditions imposed on youth by North Korean authorities continue. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lim Soo-seok stated, "Special Envoy Turner’s visit will serve as an opportunity to send a strong message of determination from the governments of South Korea and the United States."

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