By Chung Min-uck
The government's move to host a United Nations office on North Korea's human rights is likely to aggravate inter-Korean relations, experts said, Wednesday.
"The North will react angrily to the opening of a U.N. human rights office in South Korea," said Koh Yoo-hwan, a professor at Dongguk University in Seoul. "North Korea has always been sensitive to accusations over its human rights conditions and the move will further aggravate cross-border ties, which remain strained because of the North's series of military provocations."
Seoul's international efforts in urging the reclusive country to improve its human rights have sparked a strong backlash from Pyongyang which has strongly dismissed any accusations made by the U.N. and other countries, labeling them as U.S.-led efforts to topple the North Korean regime.
Reportedly, Seoul once rejected setting up the human rights office for fear that it would hamper humanitarian projects between the two Koreas.
Reversing its position, according to a government source, South Korea is to host the office the U.N. is seeking to open as part of its increasing efforts to bring the North Korean leadership to justice for human rights violations.
"The U.N. will conclude the decision to open the office in Seoul," the source said.
The U.N. commission of inquiry (COI) published a report earlier this year which was submitted to the U.N. council for human rights (UNCHR). The UNCHR adopted a resolution calling for measures to bring the North Korean leadership to justice.
The U.N. was also urged to open a field office on North Korea's human rights as part of follow-up measures included in the resolution and South Korea has reportedly been considered as a host country.
According to the resolution, the field office will be put in charge of helping to implement recommendations by the three-member COI, and monitoring and logging North Korea's human rights conditions mainly through questioning North Korean defectors.
The office reportedly may be staffed with around five people when it opens in the second half of this year..
Meanwhile, The U.N. Human Rights Council is scheduled to conduct the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights performance on North Korea in Geneva, Thursday (local time).
South Korea, on its part, is planning to issue a call to North Korea to enhance its human rights situation in the UPR session.
"The government is conducting a final review of the details," a government official said.
The government's move to host a United Nations office on North Korea's human rights is likely to aggravate inter-Korean relations, experts said, Wednesday.
"The North will react angrily to the opening of a U.N. human rights office in South Korea," said Koh Yoo-hwan, a professor at Dongguk University in Seoul. "North Korea has always been sensitive to accusations over its human rights conditions and the move will further aggravate cross-border ties, which remain strained because of the North's series of military provocations."
Seoul's international efforts in urging the reclusive country to improve its human rights have sparked a strong backlash from Pyongyang which has strongly dismissed any accusations made by the U.N. and other countries, labeling them as U.S.-led efforts to topple the North Korean regime.
Reportedly, Seoul once rejected setting up the human rights office for fear that it would hamper humanitarian projects between the two Koreas.
Reversing its position, according to a government source, South Korea is to host the office the U.N. is seeking to open as part of its increasing efforts to bring the North Korean leadership to justice for human rights violations.
"The U.N. will conclude the decision to open the office in Seoul," the source said.
The U.N. commission of inquiry (COI) published a report earlier this year which was submitted to the U.N. council for human rights (UNCHR). The UNCHR adopted a resolution calling for measures to bring the North Korean leadership to justice.
The U.N. was also urged to open a field office on North Korea's human rights as part of follow-up measures included in the resolution and South Korea has reportedly been considered as a host country.
According to the resolution, the field office will be put in charge of helping to implement recommendations by the three-member COI, and monitoring and logging North Korea's human rights conditions mainly through questioning North Korean defectors.
The office reportedly may be staffed with around five people when it opens in the second half of this year..
Meanwhile, The U.N. Human Rights Council is scheduled to conduct the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights performance on North Korea in Geneva, Thursday (local time).
South Korea, on its part, is planning to issue a call to North Korea to enhance its human rights situation in the UPR session.
"The government is conducting a final review of the details," a government official said.
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