International organizations are actively working to address systemic human rights violations in North Korea.
In 2004, the United Nations appointed a Special Rapporteur on North Korean human rights for the first time, and recently, a Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea was established. Since 2005, not only has the number of countries consenting to the UN General Assembly resolution on North Korean human rights steadily increased each year, but in 2012 the resolution was passed by consensus rather than a vote.
The United States and Japan adopted a North Korean Human Rights Act in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Similarly, the EU has repeatedly raised the issue on its meeting agendas and has enacted relevant resolutions.
Needless to say, the international community has realized the seriousness of the North Korean human rights situation and has acted accordingly. The decision by the government of Canada to establish September 28th as “North Korean Human Rights Day” is one such action of note.
To commemorate the day, Seoul-based NGO Free the NK Gulag held an international conference from September 26th to October 1st.
Notable public figures in attendance included Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenny, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Chris Alexander, Senator Romeo Dallaire, and Members of Parliament Barry Devolin, Paul Dewar, Judy Sgro and John McKay.
Of particular importance was the representation of Canada’s three major political parties; the Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party. All unanimously expressed Canada’s commitment to solving the issue of human rights abuses in North Korea.
On October 1st, Senator Romeo Dallaire and Members of Parliament Barry Devolin and Paul Dewar sponsored an inter-party discussion on the issue at the Canadian Parliament, another unprecedented event.
This writer attended the discussion and testified on the human rights violations of political prisoners in North Korea’s gulags. The deepest impression left by this visit to Canada was how unified the political parties were on human rights issues despite divided opinion on various other political topics.
Member of Parliament Irwin Cotler firmly expressed his view that the international community must intervene in this mass violation of human rights through the application of the “responsibility to protect” principle. Senator Romeo Dallaire asserted that current abuses occurring in North Korea may could well occur on a greater scale, and called for more involvement on the part of the Canadian government. Member of Parliament Paul Dewar brought up diplomatic and judicial means for solving the human rights issue, and stressed the need for a solution to be reached.
In contrast to Canada’s attention to the issue is South Korea, where the issue has become politicized to the point where it’s difficult to even hold a debate. The current reality in the South is that the North Korean human rights issue seen as a “conservative issue.” As a result, the North Korean human rights law has been languishing for several years.
It seems that the whole world is taking action while South Korea remains one step behind. The time has now come for us to change.
Even Canada who has no direct relation to the North is actively making a stance to improve the situation. Under these circumstances, South Korea must pass the pending North Korean human rights law through the National Assembly.
A North Korean Human Rights Day held in a country thousands of kilometers from North Korea has raised the alarm in the South. Do those in power hear this alarm?
