ID :
23348
Thu, 10/09/2008 - 10:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23348
The shortlink copeid
U.S. activist urges greater attention to North Korean human rights
By Kim Boram
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- U.S. activist Suzanne Scholte, the winner of this year's Seoul Peace Prize, urged citizens around the world Wednesday to pay greater attention to North Korean human rights, calling it an issue everybody should be concerned about.
"This is not a Korean issue," Scholte said at a speech at Seoul's Soong-sil
University. "This is an issue in which every free person, every free nation
should be involved because it is the worst human tragedy occurring today."
Scholte said she frequently gets asked why she cares so deeply about North Korea,
even though she is not Korean.
"The question should be not why am I, the non-Korean, still involved. The
question should be why are you not involved," she said.
Scholte emphasized the world should make every effort to advance the human rights
status of North Korea's people. Nearly three million people have been executed by
the reclusive regime, she said, and as many as 200,000 political prisoners remain
locked up.
"Every person, regardless of nationality, who cares about human rights should be
speaking out on the issue," said Scholte, who is president of the non-profit
Defense Forum Foundation in Washington.
Scholte was awarded the ninth Seoul Peace Prize for her efforts to improve North
Korea's human rights and bringing the issue to international attention.
She helped organize the first U.S. Senate hearing on the North's political prison
camps a decade ago, and played a key role in passing the North Korean Human
Rights Act of 2004 in the U.S. Congress.
"We will be judged by whether we have spoken out for human rights to help our
brothers and sisters, or whether we remain in silence," she said. "I hope that
you will join human rights in North Korea."
Asked whether she expects any changes depending on who is elected the next
president of the United States, she answered: "We are going to continue the work,
doing all the things. We will work whoever the new president is. We will work
with the administration as hard as we can."
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Oct. 8 (Yonhap) -- U.S. activist Suzanne Scholte, the winner of this year's Seoul Peace Prize, urged citizens around the world Wednesday to pay greater attention to North Korean human rights, calling it an issue everybody should be concerned about.
"This is not a Korean issue," Scholte said at a speech at Seoul's Soong-sil
University. "This is an issue in which every free person, every free nation
should be involved because it is the worst human tragedy occurring today."
Scholte said she frequently gets asked why she cares so deeply about North Korea,
even though she is not Korean.
"The question should be not why am I, the non-Korean, still involved. The
question should be why are you not involved," she said.
Scholte emphasized the world should make every effort to advance the human rights
status of North Korea's people. Nearly three million people have been executed by
the reclusive regime, she said, and as many as 200,000 political prisoners remain
locked up.
"Every person, regardless of nationality, who cares about human rights should be
speaking out on the issue," said Scholte, who is president of the non-profit
Defense Forum Foundation in Washington.
Scholte was awarded the ninth Seoul Peace Prize for her efforts to improve North
Korea's human rights and bringing the issue to international attention.
She helped organize the first U.S. Senate hearing on the North's political prison
camps a decade ago, and played a key role in passing the North Korean Human
Rights Act of 2004 in the U.S. Congress.
"We will be judged by whether we have spoken out for human rights to help our
brothers and sisters, or whether we remain in silence," she said. "I hope that
you will join human rights in North Korea."
Asked whether she expects any changes depending on who is elected the next
president of the United States, she answered: "We are going to continue the work,
doing all the things. We will work whoever the new president is. We will work
with the administration as hard as we can."
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)
