Hwang Woo Yea, the floor leader of the Grand National Party has declared it a source of shame that the North Korean Human Rights Act has been adrift in the legislative machinery of the National Assembly for more than six years.
Hwang made the comments in an interview with Peace Broadcasting Company this morning, discussing the fact that an all-party parliamentary group of 20 British MPs have sent a letter to the four main South Korean party leaders urging them to push through the act.
He said, “In the international community, we have formed the International Parliametarians’ Coalition for North Korean Refugees and Human Rights (IPCNKR) and the campaign to enact the North Korean Human Rights Act is spreading widely there.”
However, “It is shameful that in our country, which is the one concerned, we cannot pass the law.”
Hwang noted, “We are open to criticism that the law is a bit limited in terms of people’s livelihoods and the right to life,” but pointed out, “If the Democratic Party were to indicate accurately where the problems lie, we would respond to it.”
The GNP leadership has said it will try to deal with the law in August, premised on negotiations with the Democratic Party. However, their opposition is still strong.
In a statement, the GNP stressed today, “The North Korean human rights matter should not be delayed and neglected any longer, and must be dealt with in particular in order to prepare for the reunification era. The DP must cooperate with the GNP to pass the law in the August extra session of the National Assembly.”
