SEOUL– The senior presidential secretary for political affairs met with the ruling People Power Party’s (PPP) acting chief Thursday and asked for the party’s help with the long-delayed establishment of a foundation charged with promoting human rights in North Korea.
The North Korean Human Rights Foundation is supposed to be established under the North Korean Human Rights Act that passed through the National Assembly in 2016, but its establishment has been delayed as the main opposition Democratic Party has not recommended its share of board members.
The ruling and main opposition parties should recommend five board members each.
On Thursday, Lee Jin-bok, senior political affairs secretary to President Yoon Suk-yeol, met with the PPP’s acting leader, Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, and called for help in launching the foundation, officials said.
“Five board members, whose recommendations should be submitted by the opposition party, have yet to be decided … they haven’t been for five years,” Lee told reporters after a meeting with Kweon at the National Assembly.
Lee is also said to have asked Kweon to recommend a special envoy to sent to the inauguration ceremony of Colombia’s President-elect Gustavo Petro.
Source: Yonhap News Agency