Lina Yoon

North Korea’s growing ties to Russia make it more important than ever for South Korea to use its influence to press for human rights in all security discussions with North Korea. And South Korea’s membership on the United Nations Security Council as an elected member makes it uniquely positioned to do so.

When North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Pyongyang on June 19, they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership and pledged to expand their cooperation in military matters as well as in trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian aid ties.

Their summit came days after the United Nations Security Council met, over Russia’s objections, to debate North Korea’s systematic human rights violations and their connection to the country’s weapons program. However, days earlier, in the wake of North Korea’s May 27 attempted launch of a military satellite, the Security Council held an emergency meeting, during which South Korea said nothing about human rights.

South Korea and other U.N. member states are continuing to discuss how to respond to Russia’s veto in March that ended the........

© The Korea Times