Korea Split Over UN Censure of North

The Korean government is divided over whether to vote on the United Nations’ resolution on human rights in North Korea. Government organs and political parties have opposing stances on the matter and still unable to reach a conclusion.

The UN resolution on the North Korean human rights situation, led by the European Union (UN), United States and Japan was submitted to the General Assembly, and a voting session regarding the matter is expected to take place between November 16 and 17 (local time).

This is the second time the resolution has been submitted to the General Assembly. The Korean government abstained from voting last year, and has pulled out of voting for the resolution drafted by the UN Commission on Human Rights for three consecutive years since 2003.

But matters are different this year. Since Former Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon has been elected the next UN Secretary General and the Foreign Ministry’s director general for international organizations Kang Kyung-hwa has become UN deputy high commissioner for human rights, Korea has more responsibility in the international society and is under more pressure than ever to vote for the resolution.

Considering the fact the UN Security Council has recently voted unanimously for the resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea, South Korea may be stranded from international society should it chose to abstain from the vote again.

Korea may face resistance and criticism both from within and without the country if it chooses not to vote.

Foreign human rights organizations have recently requested Ban to focus on human rights issues in North Korea. A Korean centralistic organization of Buddhist priest released a statement on November 14 requesting the government to vote for the resolution.

However, the Ministry of Unification, concerned over the resumption of six-party talks, is insisting on staying out of the vote again. At the government-ruling party conference on November 11, Uri party also reportedly expressed the same opinion.

The Ministry of Unification and the ruling Uri Party are currently clashing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the Proliferation Security Initiative. It seems the clash is reemerging over the voting issue.