“Gathering to Urge for North Korean Human Rights Improvement”

[imText1]In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Korean liberation, a mass conference was held to urge the South Korean government to take an active part in the improvement of the North Korean human rights problem, and the North Korean government to improve the current human rights situation.

The conference, co-sponsored by 18 organizations including the North Korean Democracy Network and Liberty Union held at Convention Hall of Baekbum Memorial Building at 2pm.

With 500 participants from North Korean defectors organizations, organizations of families of abductees to North Korea, New Right Movement organizations and university students, the conference read out for the first time the “North Korean Human Rights Declaration,” and with the speeches of important leaders of different sectors of South Korean society, voices urging for the North Korean human rights.

Many students from in and out of Seoul participated and proved a new progressive movement of today’s students.

Hwang Jang Yeop, the commissioner of the North Korean Democratization Alliance said in his speech, “North Korea’s argument that it does not have human rights problems is also right. There is no such a concept as human rights in North Korea.”

“After the liberation, South and North each pursued different regimes and South Korea won the victory while North Korea’s defeat was assured. The reason for that is absence of human rights and democracy in North Korea. Today’s conference will be a great step for the realization of North Korean democracy and human rights,” emphasized Hwang Jang Yop.

▲ Hwang Jang Yeop encouraged the participants to take an active part in the realization of North Korean human rights and democratization.

“Human Rights” Too Luxurious in North Korea

In the speech of encouragement, Kim Moon Su, a Grand National Party assemblyman said, “Looking at all these young people here, I can see hope for North Korean human rights and democratization. Thanks to your efforts, the “North Korean Human Rights Act” is being submitted in the National Assembly at this moment.” He received a warm welcoming applause from the participants.

Kim encouraged the students participators, “Although this road may be harsh and difficult, you will become the leaders of the unified Korea if you consistently continue your activities in favor of the North Korean human rights.”

In the main speech, Han Ki Hong, the president of Nknet criticized the South Korean government’s embracement policy toward the North. “The cash assistance to North Korea from the government of South Korea went into Kim Jong Il’s personal pocket and have been used for the nuclear development and dictator regime empowerment.”

“Now is the time for us to choose between whether to take the path of being dragged by the government of North Korea and taken hostage by its nuclear weapons or whether to rescue the brethren dying under the North Korean totalitarian politics.”

▲ 300 students from universities across the nation participated, and showed that the North Korean human rights movement is now settling down as another progressive movement.

“This government does not even have the basics”

Shin Ji Ho, the president of the Liberty Union criticized the South Korean government for taking only passive attitude toward the North Korean human rights and abductees issues. “This government (the Roh administration) cannot be considered as a left wing administration but actually as a government that does not even have the basics.”

“Our government repeatedly argued as a parrot that if we mention the North Korean human rights problem, the inter-Korean relations will deteriorate. However, we were clearly proven that such an argument was wrong in the case of Japan’s continuous insist on Japanese abductee issue, in which eventually Japanese victims obtained apologies and could return home.”

The conference included recital of letters of the family members of the abductees to North Korea.

The participants of once again pledged to actively engage in the realization of North Korean human rights and democracy and ended the conference with singing the song of urging North Korean human rights improvement, “Lamp of Hope.”