[imText1]On the 23rd, in a forum for the improvement of NK human rights right after a North Korean defectors hearing of the European Parliament, unlike expected, a lively controversy passed among participants on the recent states of North Korean economic reformation.
The crux of the debate was provided by Rudiger Frank who is a professor of the East Asian political economy department at Austria Vienna University. He asserted “North Korean communism actually and officially ended”. Afterwards, he said “In North Korea’s capitalistic changes are happening”, asking “How could the changes be explained?”
He stated “It is necessary to aid the North Korean economic reformation for the improvement of North Korean human rights”, adding “We should seriously consider aids for successful economic reformation”.
Professor Frank submitted as the evidence of it some pictures of Janmadang(people’s market) in North Korea, car advertising signboards, and modern tailor’s shops. After the presentation of him, opponents comprising defectors and human rights organizations strongly refuted what he claimed.
Song Young Sun who is a member of the Korean assembly confuted “Professor Frank does not perceive the differences between capital influx and capitalism influx”, adding “North Korea denies performing capitalistic reformation, while it accepts capital”.
Congresswoman Song pointed out “The pictures look plausible, yet they do not say that North Korea is underway to liberalization and market economy”, adding “Your claim is not based on accurate information on how the financial aid for North Korea has been used”.
Pierre Rigoulot who is an editor of Social History Criticism of France stated “The policy was not effective that unconditional aid without any criticism, only with negotiation, had been given to North Korea under the pretext of adding North Korean reformation and liberalization”, adding “Gaesung Industrial Complex can not be the symbol of will of North Korean reformation and liberalization”.
He pointed out “When the world was not interested in the Soviet Union, political prisoners got more suffered”, adding “The South Korean government and international society should put the priority on the issue”.
An European human rights organization concerned asked “What does the recent economic reformation of North Korea have to do with the political prisoners issue?” At the same time, a defector indicated “He overly interpreted a part of Pyeongyang as a whole of North Korea”.
Professor Frank stuck to his original opinion, replying “Money is capitalism. If capital is introduced into North Korea, then the corruption of high-ranking officials would be revealed. It would lead to a kind of a riot of North Koreans”.
He explained his purpose of saying the point, recommending “To see the positive points, not only the negative points of North Korea”.
Ryu Se Hee who is a Representative of Citizen League for Sound Society said “The characteristic of North Korean human rights problems is that regardless of any positions, even basic human rights of every person living in North Korea has been abused”.
The participants of the forum as a panel are editor Pierre Rigoulot of
