By Joonhyuck Chang

Guaranteeing Human Rights of North Koreans ASAP 

     While I was in elementary school, I read many stories about North and South Korea. Most of them were heartrending. I remember one, in particular. It was about a boy who participated in a speech contest about reunification between the two Koreas. While he was speaking about his grandparents in North Korea whom he probably could never see again, he broke down in the middle of the speech, overcome with deep emotions. Reading such stories, I sincerely hoped that the two Koreas would unite. I even thought, ‘Maybe before long, reunification will happen.’ I was naïve; so far, that never happened. As I grew up, North Korea became more and more of a renegade dictatorship. and I did not think much about North Korea for a long time. Neither had the international community; after the six-party talks, the international community refrained from taking affirmative action regarding North Korea. However, two escapees from North Korea recently headlined the 5thannual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, speaking of unimaginableviolations of North Koreans' human rights that sparked new attention. Manyauthorities, including the head of the UN human rights chief Navi Pillay, arecalling for a "full-fledged international inquiry" of North Korea's"serious crimes." Now, I clearly understand that the present moment is the time for the international community to take active measures toward helping North Koreans attain and maintain their inviolable human rights.

Shin Dong-Hyuk, the "only known surviving escapee  from a North Korean "total control zone" camp.

     To begin with, I surely believe that implementing affirmative action without delay will render human rights to the North Koreans who are in camps sooner. The human rights of many North Koreans who have been put in camps are constantly being violated by their administration even at this moment. "People think the Holocaust is in the past, but it is still verymuch a reality. It is still going on in North Korea," stated Shin Dong-Hyuk, the only known survivor from one of North Korea's "total control zone" camps, through an interpreter. One of Shin's comments in 2012 illustrates the situation clearly. "Hitler killed people of different ethnicities and races. But Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il put their own people through starvation and horrendous torture. Just because people cannot see this,they find it difficult to believe that such things are going on at the moment.Many people think such things are a thing of the past that can be forgotten,but this kind of genocide is in progress." 

Auswitch Concentration Camp during the Holocaust

Chol-Hwan Kang, the other survivor who attended the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, agreed with Shin's analogy. "Fundamentally, [the camps are] the same as Hitler's Auschwitz," he stated. "The methods may be different, but the effect is the same." What I find to be even more troubling is the fact that recent satellite images reveal an expansion of a North Korean camp. The longer the international community refrains from acting, the longer North Korea's outrageous criminal undertakings will continue, and the more civilian victims there will be. The international community should take steps immediately.

     Moreover, I recognize the fact that the international community has a duty to support the people's growing resistance toward North Korea's oppressive administration. Kang suggested an idea that Pyongyang's recent nuclear test was not only a show of strength to the international community but also to the resistance force within the nation; if it were true, the resistance would be of considerable scale. The international society is responsible for overthrowing an unjust and aggressive regime when a group of people was deprived of their basic rights. A clause from the United States' Declaration of Independence depicts the principle the international community should always keep in mind: "… that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." Following this spirit of "humanitarian intervention," the international community has again and again worked for the sake of human rights in cases such as the Taliban and NATO. Both Shin and Kang proposed a similar movement, claiming that the international community should do much more for the North Koreans. Kang arguedthat the feelings of opposition are now growing within North Korea's borders."It is the international community's duty to help [the North Koreans]light the fire of resistance," he insisted. Shin seconded this notion,stating, "I want to push the United Nations and the internationalcommunity to take action."

     Regarding the previous argument, I believe the issue of the United States should be properly addressed. The U.S. government is well known for taking action toward humanitarian intervention as long as making such a move can guarantee benefits. “No oil, no action,” some point out, criticizing the U.S. government. In fact, many Americans hated the “no oil, no action” idea of their government. I remember my classmates criticizing the Bush government regarding the Iraq War when I was a sixth grader living in the United States; one boy asserted, “Bush is an idiot.” Green Day openly showed their hatred toward the U.S. government’s attitude with their song, “Holiday”. To put it short, the United States is certainly not trustworthy when it comes to intervention. 

Furthermore, the United States has a plausible reason for staying in Asia as long as North Korea poses a threat to the rest of the world, and the U.S. government does not want to leave. It is quite understandable that the United States government does not want to take affirmative action. However, it must keep in mind that it is nothing more than a hypocritical despot if it further delays providing help for the oppressed North Koreans. The U.S. government should consider the fact that its ideals are at stake as it permits a modern-day Holocaust to happen while it teaches its citizens the horrors the Nazis caused. The United States should make the right decision, hold hands with the rest of the international community, and properly deal with the malicious North Korean government right away.

Map of North Korea and nearby regions, with U.S. military forces marked

     As many Koreans had suffered because of infringements of Korea’s sovereignty decades ago, I certainly believe that the sovereignty of every nation should be respected. After all, I do have negative feelings toward the Japanese, whose previous generations committed unspeakable harms to our people. However, this notion cannot be applied to the case of a malicious government of a hermetic country that is committing genocide against its own people, or at least an incriminating act similar to it. Human rights should be preserved in all cases. We must remember that taking strides as quickly as possible will grant basic rights to residents in camps sooner, and that the global society has a responsibility to help the resistance toward the country's oppressive regime, which is now growing within the nation. Keeping this in mind, the international community should make cooperative efforts to ensure that the rights of North Korea residents are secured and respected as soon as possible.