Say Yes to North Korea Human Rights Resolution!

[imText1]With the upcoming U.N. General Assembly on North Korea human rights, NGO’s, new light movements, abduction of families organizations and university students urged the government to “say yes” to the resolution.

In collaboration with the Korean Bar Association, 12 citizens and human rights organizations opened a press conference at Cecil Restaurant on the 16th, urging the government to agree to the North Korea human rights resolution at the 61st U.N. General Assembly.

The group asserted “U.N. member states have included a comprehensive investigation on the state of human rights in North Korea in this North Korea human rights resolution” and “If the government continues to deviate with the argument “Effects on the South-North relations” withdrawing its vote or not participating in the decision, the international community will indict the Republic of Korea to be a nation disregarding human rights.”

Furthermore, statements were made “The Republic of Korea is now a representative of Ban Ki Moon, U.N. Secretary-General and Kang Kyung Hwa, U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and was elected to be a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council General Assembly last May” and “This is increased evidence to show that the international community now recognizes Korea as a nation for human rights.”

They argued, “Human rights needs to be superior to the system and ideology of the universality of human worth” and “It is difficult to accept that our government is being idle when the international community is taking extensive measures for North Korea human rights.”

[imText2]Co-president, Yoo Se Hee of the Citizens United for a Better Society said in his introductory speech “The government has disgraced South Korean citizens by ignoring human rights of our people and voting by absentee in the U.N. General Assembly regarding the North Korea human rights resolution” and criticized “Is supporting Kim Jong Il and ignoring human rights of North Korean citizens what our government considers “National cooperation?””

Chair-professor Lee In Ho of Myong Ji University also said “Speaking out for our fellow people is something the government should undoubtedly do, yet the government uses political excuses and has displayed a negative attitude” and “As North Korea human rights is generally discussed discretely from ideologies and systems at the U.N. general meeting, the government should fittingly agree to the North Korea resolution.”

Organizations involved in the conference included the Korean Bar Association (President, Cheon Gi Heung), Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights (President, Han Ki Hong), the 6.25 War Abductees Family Association (chairperson, Lee Mi Il), Liberty Union (President, Shin Ji Ho ), Citizens United for a Better Society (Co-president, Yoo Se Hee), Youth and Student’s Alliance League for North Korean Human Rights (Representative, Kim Ik Hwan) and Families of Abducted and Detained in North Korea (Choi Woo Young).

After the press conference, the group began a march with pickets and banners in protest to the agreement of the U.N. North Korea human rights resolution.