US Ambassador for Human Rights in North Korea: ``Informing about the harmful effects of the North Korean regime and improving the lives of residents''

Julie Turner, the U.S. State Department's special envoy for human rights in North Korea, said on the 16th, ``We are working to expose the brutal evils of the North Korean regime to the international community and bring about concrete changes that will improve the lives of North Koreans.''
I will continue to do so.” This morning, Special Envoy Turner met with Foreign Minister Park Jin at the government building in Seoul, South Korea, and stated as follows: ``The human rights situation in North Korea is still at its worst.''
Ta. "I look forward to continued joint cooperation between our two governments," said Special Envoy Turner. The U.S. State Department's ``North Korea Human Rights Ambassador'' is responsible for the implementation of the ``North Korea Human Rights Act,'' which went into effect in October 2004.
This is an ambassador-level position established by the US government to be involved in the overall process of establishing and implementing U.S. government policy regarding human rights issues in North Korea. The position has been vacant for six years following the end of Special Envoy Robert King's term in 2017.
However, U.S. President Joe Biden appointed Turner as special envoy in January, received approval from Congress in July, and official activities began with a swearing-in ceremony on the 13th of this month (local time).
Foreign Minister Park said, ``The appointment to the seat, which has been vacant for six years, is an important development that lays the foundation for even closer cooperation between South Korea and the United States to resolve the human rights issue in North Korea.''
. He went on to say, ``The North Korean regime is pursuing nuclear weapons at the expense of its residents,'' adding, ``I urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear possession and make efforts to improve the human rights of its residents.''
On that day, Foreign Minister Park and Special Envoy Turner discussed ways to cooperate between the United States and South Korea regarding human rights issues in North Korea. In particular, we are seeking cooperation regarding the large-scale repatriation of North Korean defectors by the Chinese authorities to North Korea.
The plan is to continue exploring options.