South Korean Vice Minister Blames DPRK FM For Lying To HRC

Speaking at the Human Rights Council, Cho Tae-yul, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Korea, said he "couldn't contain an overwhelming sorrowful pity" while listening the foreign minister of the North Korea briefing the Council about the human rights situation in North Korea.

He said he hoped that the DPRK will no longer ignore the plight of its own people and called upon the country to cooperate with international organizations such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Cho Tae-yul address followed an earlier statement to the Council by the Foreign Minister of DPRK, Ri Su Yong, who defended the human rights record of his country, saying that allegations of abuses have been made simply for political reasons.

Cho Tae-yul told delegates that the foreign minister knows better than anyone else the horrific human rights situation in the DPRK and the grave concern, verging on despair, of the international community over the situation. He said that his country's government will closely cooperate with the Human Rights Council and other UN human rights bodies to improve the situation in the DPRK.

Cho Tae-yul also urged the DPRK to help authorities in the Republic of Korea to confirm whether family members who were separated during the division of the Korean Peninsula 70 years ago are alive or not. He said that almost half of the separated families have died without knowing whether their loved ones are alive.

SHOTLIST:
3 MARCH 2015, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Exterior of Palais des Nations
Human Rights Council meeting room
DPRK delegate
Delegates
Simonovic
Chinese delegation

SOUNDBITE (English) Cho Tae-yul, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea:
"While listening to the statement of the Foreign Minister of the DPRK earlier this afternoon, as a fellow diplomat and descendent of the same blood, I couldn't contain an overwhelming sorrowful pity. The Minister knows better than anyone else about the horrific human rights situation in the DPRK and the grave concern verging on despair of the international community over the situation."

SOUNDBITE (English) Cho Tae-yul, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea:
"How much longer does the DPRK wish to continue its inhumane acts of trampling on the human dignity of its people? We hope that the DPRK will no longer ignore the plight of its own people. We call on the DPRK to immediately take concrete and sincere steps so that its people can carry on a normal, dignified life. And, we sincerely hope that the DPRK will soon put into action the pledge it made last year to cooperate with international organizations such as OHCHR."

SOUNDBITE (English) Cho Tae-yul, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea:
"The Government of the Republic of Korea will closely cooperate with the Human Rights Council and other UN human rights mechanisms to improve the human rights situation in the DPRK. In particular, we will spare no efforts to support the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK and the OHCHR's field-based structure that will be set up in Seoul later this year."

SOUNDBITE (English) Cho Tae-yul, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea:
"This year also marks the 70th year of the division of the Korean Peninsula. Almost half of the separated families have died without even knowing whether their loved ones are alive. This is an urgent and pressing problem that needs to be resolved without further delay. We urge the DPRK to heed out request for confirmation of whether or not they are alive and for regular family reunions."

DURATION: 02:16