| South Korea is reversing three years of | | | | and lists torture, arbitrary imprisonment and |
| looking the other way on North Korean human | | | | the use of forced labor along with many other |
| rights abuses, saying it will back a United | | | | suspected human rights violations. |
| Nations resolution that calls on Pyongyang in | | | | |
| strong terms to improve its human rights | | | | The draft resolution describes the North's |
| record. The change of policy comes after | | | | restriction of basic freedoms as "severe and |
| North Korea flouted warnings from Seoul and | | | | all-pervasive." |
| other governments not to conduct nuclear and | | | | |
| missile tests - and as a South Korean | | | | Unlike previous resolutions, this measure |
| prepares to assume the U.N.'s top job. | | | | would require the U.N. Secretary-General to |
| | | | personally submit a report on North Korea's |
| Song Min-soon, South Korea's incoming foreign | | | | human rights situation to the General |
| minister, told lawmakers Thursday that North | | | | Assembly. |
| Korea's recent provocations influenced | | | | |
| Seoul's decision to back the upcoming United | | | | Ban Ki-moon, the former South Korean foreign |
| Nations resolution. | | | | minister, is due to assume the |
| | | | secretary-general's post later this year, and |
| Song says South Korean authorities considered | | | | he would be responsible for delivering the |
| the North's missile tests in July and nuclear | | | | report. |
| weapons test in October in making their | | | | |
| judgment. | | | | Ban recently urged his home country to take |
| | | | what he called a more "positive" approach |
| Seoul has abstained from three previous U.N. | | | | toward the North Korea human rights issue. |
| resolutions on North Korea's human rights | | | | |
| record, citing the South's special | | | | Kay Seok is a researcher for the U.S.-based |
| relationship with Pyongyang. Since 2000, the | | | | rights group Human Rights Watch. She welcomes |
| South has embraced a policy of | | | | South Korea's decision to support the |
| non-confrontational engagement with the | | | | resolution, and the influence Ban Ki-moon |
| North, even though the two remain technically | | | | apparently had on that decision. |
| at war. | | | | |
| | | | She says once Seoul adds its voice to |
| Like the last two resolutions on the subject, | | | | international concerns about human rights in |
| this week's statement is based on reporting | | | | the North, it will not be able to return to |
| by a special U.N. rapporteur on human rights | | | | silence in the future - because the |
| in North Korea. A draft text of the | | | | international community will expect more. |
| resolution calls on Pyongyang to halt abuses, | | | | |