Opening Remarks at the Seoul Summit
on Promoting Human Rights in North Korea
Alexander Vershbow
U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
Seoul -
Shilla Hotel
December 9, 2005
Good morning. Thank you all for participating in this important event on promoting human rights in North Korea. I would like to start by expressing my appreciation to Ambassador Lee In Ho, Dr. Jae Ku, and everybody from both Freedom House and the Organizing Committee for the Seoul Summit for their hard work in organizing this important conference.
We share many interests and values with our South Korean allies, among which is a commitment to promote and protect human rights. As U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and a former Ambassador to the Russian Federation, I cannot overstate the importance of human rights to American foreign policy and to our very identity as Americans. The promotion of human rights has long been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy around the world and it is a key concern as we seek to address the challenges posed by North Korea. President Bush has a strong personal interest in the issue of human rights abuses in the DPRK and in seeking ways to improve the living conditions that the North Korean people must endure. This conference is a timely opportunity for all those interested in North Korea to generate new ideas that can help address this acute problem.
It is ironic and, at the same time, tragic that the two Koreas stand in stark contrast to one another on either side of the 38th parallel. One is a strong ally of the United States that takes a unique place on the world stage as one of the greatest success stories of the past century. The Republic of Korea rose from the ashes of the Korean War to become the tenth-largest economy in the world. More strikingly, however, South Korea successfully developed from an authoritarian regime to a full democracy in two short decades, an extremely rare accomplishment. The people of South Korea know better than many others in the world the true value of freedom, democracy and human rights. The fact that this conference is taking place here, in Seoul, is a vivid illustration of Korea's place in the world as a modern democracy.
The same cannot be said, however, of the other half of Korea north of the demilitarized zone. Its people, unlike their southern brethren, remain oppressed by a regime whose policies have failed to address even the most basic needs of its citizens. The people of North Korea are unable to enjoy even the simplest freedoms that we in the free world often take for granted. The DPRK regime fails to ensure the level of access, transparency and cooperation necessary for international aid organizations to deliver food and medicine to those most in need without fear of their being diverted for other purposes. North Koreans, to this day, have no right to vote, to practice religion, to participate in politics, or to speak out against the wrongdoings of their government.
I want to emphasize that the U.S. Government has no hidden agenda in raising the issue of human rights in North Korea. We simply want to improve the living conditions of the people of North Korea. We want the North Korean regime to abide by the obligations it has undertaken in the UN Charter and other international covenants on human rights. We want the DPRK to change its policies and undertake reforms that end the hardships endured by its people. I also want to emphasize that strong U.S.-ROK cooperation is vital if we truly want to achieve progress. I sincerely hope that this conference brings us a step closer to accomplishing those objectives.
With that, it is my great pleasure to introduce the principal U.S. speaker, Mr. Jay Lefkowitz. Mr. Lefkowitz has had distinguished careers in both government and law. He recently served as Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy at the White House. He has previously served as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, and the U.S. delegation to the International Conference on Anti-Semitism sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Mr. Lefkowitz received his bachelor's degree from Columbia College and his Juris Doctor from Columbia University Law School. In August, he was appointed by the President to be the Special Envoy on Human Rights in North Korea.