Lawmaker seeks open channel with China for NK defectors

By Kim Jung-yoon

Ha Tae-kyung, a North Korean human rights activist-turned-lawmaker said Thursday that he will seek to cooperate with Chinese officials in an attempt to improve the North’s human rights situation.

“Meeting with Chinese officials one-on-one to discuss the issue will be one of the key issues,” said Ha during an interview with The Korea Times, shortly after winning a parliamentary seat last week.

The head of Open Radio for North Korea earned his doctorate degree in China while working as a human rights activist for North Koreans. Ha said his experiences and background will help him open a new channel with Beijing.

“Through broad knowledge and personal connections in China, I plan to put my utmost efforts in seeking their cooperation on such political matters as repatriation of North Korean defectors detained there and elsewhere,” he said.

According to Ha, it is imperative that China be involved in the matter to deal with the issues involving Pyongyang, Bejing and Seoul, in order to resolve rights abuses.

Ha won a parliamentary seat in the Gijjang-B constituency of the southeastern port city of Busan on the ruling Saenuri Party ticket. He said he had every reason to become a forefront activist for North Koreans.

“I once used to be a student activist fighting for democracy against the government in the early 1980s under the influence of Rev. Moon Ik-hwan, a pro-North Korea theologist,” said Ha, who later realized the truth about the North and became a human rights advocator.

He said he felt a great deal of anger, when hearing stories about hundreds of North Korean defectors in China. The defectors are living proof of how the regime brutally abuses human rights, he said.

Addressing the North Korean Human Rights Bill, Ha went on to say that the ruling and the opposition lawmakers need to find common ground to pass the bill, before it gets too late.

“There are many ways for a lawmaker to improve the situation in the North. Of course humanitarian aid is one way, but what is more important is to take fundamental measures to change the system.”

Despite Pyongyang’s recent rocket launch amid growing international concern, Ha showed an optimistic view on the new leader Kim Jong-un.

“Unlike his father, the younger Kim’s governance seems more humane. While his father used to rule the central committee of the Workers’ Party harshly, the younger leader shows he may compromise.”

“With the regime change taking place in the Stalinist nation, we should also be flexible in shifting approaches toward it,” Ha said.

Ha will shortly resign as the head of Open Radio for North Korea, leaving the broadcasting work to other activists.