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Topic: Our vision on North Korean Human Rights and possible solutions
Participants: Lisbeth, Ho Jung, Kyong Mi, Lynsey, Bae Yun-Gu
With a view to sending a document of suggestions for the North Korean Human Rights issue to the MEP Johan VanHecke, aspects of the North Korean Human Rights issue and possible solutions were discussed.
Initially activities presently underway attempting to deal with this issue were discussed. It was agreed that in general governments have to be very careful with their relationships with NK for example, the US government has said that it will not support North Korea if it does not improve its human rights. Consequently it is NGOs that have to suggest solutions, and take action. Here at CNPK there is a plan to survey the situation of North Korean defectors in China. It was felt that while US NGO groups tend to take a strongly Christian perspective be very emotional. German NGOs take a much more comprehensive approach, and are very active, as a result of their own history, and Germany has also accepted many North Korean defectors. However any NGO work inside North Korea is completely dependent upon North Korean permission. Following the UN resolution on Human Rights many NGOs were ordered to leave by the North Korean government. At the time the North said that it needed programmes to develop the country rather than direct aid, however Ho Jung said she knew of a Canadian NGO running a design school in Pyongyang, and despite their role being a developmental one they were still told to leave.
With regard to the role of NGOs it was suggested that some research could be done into which groups have been allowed to work within North Korea and see if there is any kind of pattern. However the likelihood of there being any kind of logical pattern was felt to be low.
The discussion then moved on to considering Bohyuk Soh‘s “When human rights meet peace on the Korean Peninsula, searching for a comprehensive approach”. He advocates gradual steps in order to try and change North Korea slowly. He advocates the solving of the Nuclear crisis first, and Kyong-Mi explained of the need to solve the Nuclear crisis before other countries will help. However it was generally felt that it should be more of a multilevel process. It was felt that of the actions suggested in the paper, the easiest to work upon might be learning about the Market Economy.
We then discussed the issue of Humanitarian Support. Everyone agreed that this should not be unconditional, there should be some conditions so that there is some leverage over North Korea. Kyong-Mi felt that the Uri Party sees the Sunshine Policy as almost a religion for the Left wing, and that they are scared to loose the relationship and change in atmosphere that was felt in 2000. However it should be re-thought so that it is more balanced. Ho-Jung felt that lately there have been such voices for change coming from the Left wing.
The discussion then moved on to slightly more general issues. Bae Yun-Gu pointed out that the Human Rights issue is of course a very sensitive one in Korea, and also that the US uses Human Rights issues to invade countries and so it is important to be cautious. Lynsey felt that a significant problem is the lack of interest in the North Korean Human Rights issue among most South Koreans. If it was an issue that more people felt strongly about then that would provide motivation for politicians to address the issue in order to gain support from voters.
Lisbeth pointed out that it is important to try and understand North Korea’s perspective with regard to the Human Rights Issue. Firstly, perhaps we need to think of creative ways in which North Korea can be made to think that any actions it might take have been their own idea so that they can feel that they are still in control. Secondly the concept of Human Rights held by the North Korean government may be completely different to that held elsewhere, for example there is almost no concept of individual human rights. Also a distinction should be made between inherent Human Rights abuses, such as the food crisis, and abuses by low-level officials, such as in prison camps, which the government in Pyongyang may have little control over. So we have to be really open minded when dealing with this issue.
Ho-Jung then moved the discussion onto the issue of the North Korean defectors in China. The South Korean government seems to lack the courage it should have to address this issue with China, as well as not wishing to damage economic relations. Liesbeth said similarly that it should be an issue for the UN Human Rights Committee to address, however they are worried that to do so would risk pushing China to shut off to the UN on all Human Rights issues. She also pointed out that the Chinese government itself does not even have control over some of the problems, for example the work of brokers is illegal under Chinese law. With regard to the question of whether China will ever change its stance towards the North Korean Refugees, Ho-Jung felt that if there was enough pressure then they might, particularly with the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Perhaps China can be pushed to act as a responsible stakeholder in the world order. However others felt that due to economic reasons there will never be enough pressure.
The concept of focusing on Human Rights within East Asia, not just North Korea, was also discussed. However there are problems with this such as North Korean security issues and that China doesn’t want to make any kind of sanctions or economic policies against North Korea.
Concluding comments were that it is important to try and be open and maximize the good things and successes and minimize the bad things. It is also important to have lots of different NGOs addressing different issues.
Link to document sent to Johan VanHecke, MEP
Participants: Lisbeth, Ho Jung, Kyong Mi, Lynsey, Bae Yun-Gu
With a view to sending a document of suggestions for the North Korean Human Rights issue to the MEP Johan VanHecke, aspects of the North Korean Human Rights issue and possible solutions were discussed.
Initially activities presently underway attempting to deal with this issue were discussed. It was agreed that in general governments have to be very careful with their relationships with NK for example, the US government has said that it will not support North Korea if it does not improve its human rights. Consequently it is NGOs that have to suggest solutions, and take action. Here at CNPK there is a plan to survey the situation of North Korean defectors in China. It was felt that while US NGO groups tend to take a strongly Christian perspective be very emotional. German NGOs take a much more comprehensive approach, and are very active, as a result of their own history, and Germany has also accepted many North Korean defectors. However any NGO work inside North Korea is completely dependent upon North Korean permission. Following the UN resolution on Human Rights many NGOs were ordered to leave by the North Korean government. At the time the North said that it needed programmes to develop the country rather than direct aid, however Ho Jung said she knew of a Canadian NGO running a design school in Pyongyang, and despite their role being a developmental one they were still told to leave.
With regard to the role of NGOs it was suggested that some research could be done into which groups have been allowed to work within North Korea and see if there is any kind of pattern. However the likelihood of there being any kind of logical pattern was felt to be low.
The discussion then moved on to considering Bohyuk Soh‘s “When human rights meet peace on the Korean Peninsula, searching for a comprehensive approach”. He advocates gradual steps in order to try and change North Korea slowly. He advocates the solving of the Nuclear crisis first, and Kyong-Mi explained of the need to solve the Nuclear crisis before other countries will help. However it was generally felt that it should be more of a multilevel process. It was felt that of the actions suggested in the paper, the easiest to work upon might be learning about the Market Economy.
We then discussed the issue of Humanitarian Support. Everyone agreed that this should not be unconditional, there should be some conditions so that there is some leverage over North Korea. Kyong-Mi felt that the Uri Party sees the Sunshine Policy as almost a religion for the Left wing, and that they are scared to loose the relationship and change in atmosphere that was felt in 2000. However it should be re-thought so that it is more balanced. Ho-Jung felt that lately there have been such voices for change coming from the Left wing.
The discussion then moved on to slightly more general issues. Bae Yun-Gu pointed out that the Human Rights issue is of course a very sensitive one in Korea, and also that the US uses Human Rights issues to invade countries and so it is important to be cautious. Lynsey felt that a significant problem is the lack of interest in the North Korean Human Rights issue among most South Koreans. If it was an issue that more people felt strongly about then that would provide motivation for politicians to address the issue in order to gain support from voters.
Lisbeth pointed out that it is important to try and understand North Korea’s perspective with regard to the Human Rights Issue. Firstly, perhaps we need to think of creative ways in which North Korea can be made to think that any actions it might take have been their own idea so that they can feel that they are still in control. Secondly the concept of Human Rights held by the North Korean government may be completely different to that held elsewhere, for example there is almost no concept of individual human rights. Also a distinction should be made between inherent Human Rights abuses, such as the food crisis, and abuses by low-level officials, such as in prison camps, which the government in Pyongyang may have little control over. So we have to be really open minded when dealing with this issue.
Ho-Jung then moved the discussion onto the issue of the North Korean defectors in China. The South Korean government seems to lack the courage it should have to address this issue with China, as well as not wishing to damage economic relations. Liesbeth said similarly that it should be an issue for the UN Human Rights Committee to address, however they are worried that to do so would risk pushing China to shut off to the UN on all Human Rights issues. She also pointed out that the Chinese government itself does not even have control over some of the problems, for example the work of brokers is illegal under Chinese law. With regard to the question of whether China will ever change its stance towards the North Korean Refugees, Ho-Jung felt that if there was enough pressure then they might, particularly with the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Perhaps China can be pushed to act as a responsible stakeholder in the world order. However others felt that due to economic reasons there will never be enough pressure.
The concept of focusing on Human Rights within East Asia, not just North Korea, was also discussed. However there are problems with this such as North Korean security issues and that China doesn’t want to make any kind of sanctions or economic policies against North Korea.
Concluding comments were that it is important to try and be open and maximize the good things and successes and minimize the bad things. It is also important to have lots of different NGOs addressing different issues.
Link to document sent to Johan VanHecke, MEP
