By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter


Unification Minister Chung Dong-young reaffirmed the government’s ``silent diplomacy’’ toward human rights issues in North Korea on Tuesday.

``Human rights problems in communist countries have never been solved by way of applying pressure,’’ Chung told reporters ahead of a Cabinet meeting at Chong Wa Dae.

His remark, made to rebuff a report by a state-funded research institute, drew attention as it came following U.S. President George W. Bush’s signing of the North Korean human rights bill.

Chung snubbed the report by the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) as an expression of a researcher’s personal opinion. The report urged the Seoul government not to remain tight-lipped about the human rights condition in the North.

He renewed Seoul’s four principles on dealing with North Korean human rights, stressing the need to adopt different ways to approach the matter according to diverse situations. Other principles include easing tension and achieving reconciliation and cooperation. Chung reiterated the government’s stance that the human rights issue should not influence the six-way talks.

Recently, the KINU submitted the paper to the government analyzing the possible effects of the U.S.’ North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004 and calling for the Seoul government to take a more active role in the matter.

``If the government remains passive while the human rights issues involving North Korea are rapidly gaining momentum in the international community, it will weaken Seoul’s international status and exacerbate domestic conflicts,’’ the report pointed out.

The North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, which was endorsed in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, was signed by Bush on Monday, local time. ``The Act is intended to help promote human rights and freedom in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,’’ a White House statement said.

The law enables Washington to spend a maximum of $24 million per year from 2005 through 2008 for the purpose of improving human rights conditions for North Koreans. It also paves the way for North Koreans to seek refugee status in the United States.

The views on the prospect of the Act vary in Seoul. While the ruling Uri Party remains cautious about its possible negative effects on the inter-Korean as well as U.S.-North Korea relationship, the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) plans to submit their own resolution to the National Assembly some time soon in accordance with the U.S. bill.

``As human rights is an issue of international value, we should regard this as a chance to intently care about the human rights of North Koreans,’’ Lee Hahn-koo, policy committee chairman of the GNP said.

saltwall@koreatimes.co.kr