A North Korean flag flutters at a village in North Korea, in this photo taken on July 19 near the South Korean side of the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas. Reuters-Yonhap

Despite opposition party's inaction, gov't makes progress in some areas

By Jung Min-ho

South Korea's main opposition party has repeatedly ignored calls for the implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act, a law that has remained in name only since it was passed more than six years ago.

An official at the Ministry of Unification told The Korea Times Thursday that the National Assembly has not responded to the government's request to recommend 10 directors of the board at a foundation for North Korean human rights ― a prerequisite for its establishment.

"Whenever we had an opportunity, such as Minister Kwon Young-se's visit to the National Assembly, we asked for cooperation. But it has not answered our written request sent July 25," the official said.

The blame falls on the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which is responsible for picking five people out of a total of 12 director positions. The ruling People Power Party is required to select another five and the ministry should name the remaining two. After the process is finished, one of them should be elected as the foundation's chief.

During a meeting at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee last week, Kwon said he was briefed that only the ruling party selected its candidates, and asked the DPK for cooperation.

Unification Minister Kwon Young-se speaks during a meeting at the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the Assembly building in Seoul, Aug. 19. Newsis

However, the DPK appears to be determined to block the implementation of the law through its inaction.

On Tuesday, Rep. Woo Sang-ho, its interim leader, rejected the ruling party's offer to move it forward, along with promptly appointing a special inspector for the office of President Yoon Suk-yeol. Since he took office in May, the DPK has been trying to fill the post to investigate potential corruption among the president's family or top-level aides.

When the DPK reluctantly approved the human rights bill in 2016, it was under immense political pressure to do so after North Korea's fourth nuclear weapons test earlier that year. But soon afterward, then President Park Geun-hye faced a crisis following an influence-peddling scandal involving her confidant. She was eventually impeached.

Her successor, Moon Jae-in, immediately shifted the previous North Korea policy and took a more conciliatory approach, staying away from the issues Pyongyang's elites would not like, such as their gross violations of the human rights of ordinary people.

Setting up the foundation may take some time. But in the areas where cooperation from the DPK is not required, the Yoon administration has made noticeable progress.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Lee Shin-hwa as its new envoy for North Korean human rights last month according to the law, filling the post left vacant since the inaugural ambassador, Lee Jung-hoon, left office in September 2017.

Kim Ki-woon, the vice minister of unification, presided over its first council meeting for North Korean human rights issues in two years and 3 months, Thursday, with senior officials from related government departments and agencies taking part. Issues such as how to measure and document the North's human rights situation were discussed there.

According to the ministry, Kwon is scheduled to meet the leaders of North Korean human rights groups based here on Friday.

North Korea has not reacted to such moves directly. But earlier this month, Uriminzokkiri, a propaganda website linked to the regime, blasted the South for its efforts to shed light on the issue, calling the foundation an organization "for slandering."

According to the U.S. Department of State's annual human rights report released on April 12, there were credible reports of "numerous" human rights abuses committed in North Korea, including unlawful killings, torture and degrading treatment by the regime.

"The government took no credible steps to prosecute officials who committed human rights abuses or corruption … Impunity for human rights abuses and corruption continued to be a widespread problem," the report says.