By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
The Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee of the National Assembly passed a bill Thursday aimed at improving human rights conditions in North Korea.
Lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party and the Liberty Forward Party voted for the legislation, while lawmakers for the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) objected to the passage of the measure.
The DP agreed on the need for improving human rights conditions in the North, as it has called the situation "deplorable."
But the main opposition party said the passage of the bill could harm inter-Korean relations.
If approved by the Assembly Judiciary Committee, the bill will be presented to the plenary session for final parliamentary endorsement.
If it gets approval, the government will be required to set up a body to monitor North Korea's human rights conditions and study South Korea's policies on the issue.
The measure also calls for more support of non-governmental organizations working for the improvement of North Korean human rights.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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