Seoul to support U.N. resolution on N. Korean human rights

South Korea decided Thursday to vote in favor of a United Nations resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses, citing a change in the geopolitical situation after Pyongyang's nuclear weapon test in October.

The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on the nonbinding resolution drafted by the European Union, the United States, and Japan early Friday (Seoul time).

Thursday's decision, which government officials said was difficult to make, marks an about-face from Seoul's traditional low-key approach toward the North Korean human rights issue.

Seoul has been absent or has abstained from a series of U.N. votes on the issue since 2003, apparently to avoid antagonizing its communist neighbor, and has come under growing pressure from the international community to be more vocal on the matter.

The landmark decision was made after a heated internal debate, officials said, as the Foreign Ministry wanted to get tough on North Korea, while the Unification Ministry, which has the mission of promoting inter-Korean ties, asked for a cautious approach.

It was a difficult choice, they added, especially as the six-way talks on North Korea's nuclear program are set to to resume in the middle of next month after a year-long break. South Korea is among five dialogue partners of the communist nation in the talks. The other participants are the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan.

According to the resolution, the North is strongly urged to "fully respect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and expend its full cooperation to the Special Rapporteur" on the country's human rights situation.

It also requests the U.N. secretary-general to submit a comprehensive report on the situation in North Korea. Ban Ki-moon, South Korea's former foreign minister, will take office as the U.N. chief in January.

"The government has decided to vote for the resolution, and expects the decision to make contributions to the improvement of the human rights as a universal value and serve as a stepping stone to facilitate concrete dialogue and cooperation between North Korea and the international community in the field of human rights, which is needed more urgently after the nuclear test," the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

South Korea will make continued efforts to improve the human rights conditions of North Koreans, while maintaining its policy of engaging North Korea, it added.

The Unification Ministry also said voting for the resolution does not mean that South Korea will change the policy, and it is not expected to have a major impact on inter-Korean relations.

"North Korea may express uneasiness over our move, but it will understand why we made such a painful decision," a ministry official said on condition of anonymity. He played down the move, saying, "it is just to express sympathy for the international community's worries."

South Korea's decision was not unexpected, as local media have reported that South Korea has come under growing pressure since Ban was elected the next U.N. secretary-general and the North detonated a nuclear bomb.

Observers said that Seoul's move seemed influenced as well by its rejection earlier this week of a U.S. request to join its campaign to interdict North Korean cargo ships suspected of carrying weapons of mass destruction.

South Korea must have not wanted to disappoint the U.S. and other allies again, they added.

Speaking at a parliamentary confirmation hearing earlier in the day, Foreign Minister-designate Song Min-soon said "there have been various factors of change involving the (North Korean human rights) issue."

"Such various factors as the North's nuclear test and its missile issue were reflected in the judgement," said Song, who is President Roh Moo-hyun's chief security advisor.

South Korea's political parties largely embraced the decision.

"It was late but fortunate," said Yoo Ki-jun, a spokesman for the main opposition Grand National Party. "The government needs to make bold efforts to work together with the international community to address the worst human rights situation in North Korea."

The ruling Uri Party was split, however, with moderate members backing the move but their progressive colleagues describing it as "excessively tactical."

"The government's decision is understandable. But we would like to point out the possibility that it will damage efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through the six-way talks, if the resolution is interpreted as being aimed at toppling the North Korean regime, or if it delivers the wrong message," the liberal party's spokesman Woo Sang-ho said.

Seoul, Nov. 16 (Yonhap News)