Yesterday, for the first time and by consensus, a North Korean human rights resolution passed the UN Human Rights Council that contained provision for the creation of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to investigate North Korean human rights abuses.
On the news, ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker Ha Tae Kyung, who has been an active supporter of the call for a COI for more than a year, declared, “The passing of a resolution including the establishment of a COI is the fruit of the hard work of every North Korean human rights organization, both at home and abroad.”
Speaking at an event held at the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Ha went on, “The COI is not designed to produce a general survey report on the situation; as an investigative report it is to be used in judicial processes, and as such can help us pinpoint those who are responsible for committing crimes against humanity in North Korea.”
“The investigation will not be for the small fish [junior regime officials],” he added, “it will be for the big fish [Kim Jong Eun and other high officials] who are most responsible for human rights crimes in North Korea.”
He continued, “The consent of the UN Security Council is required for indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and this will put China in an extremely awkward position. In the event that China does agree, then this means that it has parted political ways with the Kim Jong Eun regime.”
“It will take time to change their opinion,” he went on, “but it is not impossible, so [the South Korean] government and civil society must actively cooperate with the COI.”
According to Ha, the COI could even help to promote internal reformers in North Korea, because it separates the ruling group, those guilty of crimes against humanity and facing justice in the ICC, from mid- and low-level officials, who are omitted from that process.
