The US and South Korea restart ``North Korea human rights talks''... ``Inseparable from security issues''

The ``U.S.-South Korea North Korea Human Rights Consultation,'' which was proposed by the South Korean side when Julie Turner, the US State Department's special envoy for human rights in North Korea, visited South Korea, was launched on the 15th (local time) and a meeting was held. From now on, this North Korea
It was decided that the Human Rights Consultative Body would be held regularly and the next meeting would be held in the first half of next year. According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Chun Young-hee, head of the Peace Diplomacy Planning Group, is based in Brussels, Belgium.
, held a U.S.-South Korea-North Korea human rights consultation with Special Envoy Turner. From the South Korean side, Chief Jeong was the chief representative, and the Director of the North Korean Human Rights Planning Division of the Ministry of Unification was present, and from the United States, Special Envoy Turner was the chief representative.
Representatives from the Human Rights Bureau of the National Security Council (NSC) were present. These talks were brought to fruition after Chief Chung proposed this when Special Envoy Turner, who took up the post from a vacant post for the first time in six years, visited South Korea last month.
It appeared. The ``North Korea Human Rights Consultations'' were launched in 2016 during the Park Geun-hye administration, and were held in October and November of the same year and in March of the following year. Inhabitant
) never operated under the government. During the talks, both sides agreed that even though serious violations of fundamental rights continue, the North Korean regime is using its response to the COVID-19 virus to control the population and provide information.
He expressed concern about the tightening of social controls, such as blocking inflows. In particular, in the case of the political prison camps operated by North Korea, not only are conditions poor, but there are also serious human rights violations such as forced labor and beatings.
He condemned the continued harmful acts. Both sides also agreed to discuss the issue of human rights in North Korea, including the fact that North Korea has appropriated financial resources for illegal weapons development through human rights violations such as forced labor of overseas workers.
"is inseparable from security issues." Furthermore, since the United States and South Korea will simultaneously serve as members of the United Nations Security Council in 2024, North Korea and South Korea will continue to work together in international arenas such as the United Nations.
We have decided to continue our efforts to bring the issue of human rights in Korea into public discussion and improve it.