Anti-DPRK "Human Rights" Campaign Criticized

Pyongyang, July 21 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson of the Korea Association for Human Rights Studies gave the following answer to question raised by KCNA on Friday as regards the fact that the riff-raff are now resorting to "human rights" campaign against the DPRK:

Recently, the deputy director of the "Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights", an anti-DPRK "human rights" conspiracy organization in Seoul of south Korea, made reference to the invitation extended to foreign advertising agencies to the 2017 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Challenge Pyongyang Open in August. He prattled that they opposed the activities of the advertising agencies in north Korea as the income generated from the advertising could end up in the hands of the north Korean government which is under a tough sanctions regime.

Meanwhile, the "Special Rapporteur" of the UN Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in the DPRK is reported to visit south Korea from July 17 to 21 to meet with south Korean government officials and "defectors" to collect latest "information" on human rights situation of the DPRK, and submit a report thereon to the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in coming October.

It is an international practice to conduct advertising through such authoritative sports events as the Table-Tennis Open organized by the ITTF in Pyongyang and, for this purpose, commercial contracts are concluded between the organizers and advertising agencies. It is a well-known fact that its income is used for the development of sports.

Nevertheless, such conspiracy organization as the "Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights" is taking issue with the income from advertising, linking it with inhumane sanctions against the DPRK. While this is a presumptuous act, it also clearly shows that they are pursuing ulterior political purposes.

If the "Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights" is to be a proper organization, it should first rename itself "Citizens' Alliance for South Korean Human Rights" and pick quarrel with the ongoing violations of human rights in south Korea, including discrimination and sexual abuse against foreign workers. In particular, it should remedy the practices of sexual harassment of local women by south Korean diplomats in several countries which have been recently exposed one after another, causing world-wide consternation and resentment.

We remain consistent in our position to categorically reject the anti-DPRK "human rights resolution" cooked up by the hostile forces on the basis of false "testimonies" of the human scum "defectors" and the "Special Rapporteur" on the situation of human rights in the DPRK appointed in accordance with the "resolution".

However, from the standpoint of actively engaging in dialogue and cooperation for the genuine protection and promotion of human rights, we invited in May last the Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and discussed the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in all sincerity. We will also participate in the sessions for consideration of the reports on implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in coming September and November respectively.

The "Special Rapporteur" on the situation of human rights in the DPRK should not go about looking for the "testimonies" of "defectors" whose truth is no longer recognized by the world public. Instead, he should make a thorough investigation into the human rights violations in south Korea, the worst tundra of human rights in the world, and bring to justice those criminals who lured and kidnapped a group of female citizens of the DPRK to detain them in south Korea for over one year. -0-