A resolution on the torture of Kim Young Hwan which passed the National Assembly on the 3rd may be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, Daily NK has learned. However, fears over the safety of other human rights activists may stop the issue going that far.
On the 17th, the National Assembly asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to pass the text of the resolution through diplomatic channels to interested parties including the UN Human Rights Council. If the resolution does get brought before the UN body, it will occur between now and the 28th, when the 21st session of the council closes.
The resolution states that the torture Kim and three other South Korean men suffered while in Chinese detention was unacceptable. It urges the Chinese government to investigate the allegations being made against the Ministry of State Security and, if the allegations are found to be correct, to apologize.
Kim was detained in China for 114 days between March 29th and July 20th.
However, the issue is not simple. If the resolution does go to the UN, it could put all human rights activists in China under pressure and detrimentally affect their capacity to operate.
Choi Hong Jae, who is acting as spokesperson for a committee established to pursue the torture allegation, revealed, “Our primary goal, informing the international community about the torture of North Korean human rights activists in China, has been achieved. If submitting this resolution to the UN were going to endanger human rights activists in China then we would formally request that MOFAT put it on hold.”
