The U.S. Establishes Committee for N.K. Human Rights

The `U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea` for the improvement of human rights in North Korea was established in Washington on Oct. 25th.

The chairperson of the committee is former vice secretary of Defense Fred Ikle. The committee board is consists of 15 members, including some experts on Korea, such as former U.S. Ambassador to Korea James Lilly and former Rep. Stephen Solarz, and human rights activists.

In the inaugural declaration, the committee proclaimed, ``N.K.`s human rights situation as a serious endurable unrighteousness. It is time to speak out N.K.`s oppression on human rights and to demand N.K. for applying the U.N.`s standards on human rights to North Koreans.``

The committee presented seven tasks: ▲ To check the distribution of the aided food to N.K. ▲ Prohibition of punishment to the escapee from N.K. and recognition of the refugee status for North Korean escapees in China ▲ Opening policy towards North Koreans ▲To establish various contacting and exchanging routes with North Korean civilians ▲ The sanction for the approaches of human rights groups and independent media to N.K. ▲ Reform the investment environment of N.K.

Han Ki-Heung eligius@donga.com