By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, British Ambassador Martin Uden has praised South Korea for its work in promoting human rights.
``It is remarkable that when I first came to Korea, we were trying to change this country's record on human rights in a pretty fundamental way, but now Korea is actually an ally in our work to improve the human rights record elsewhere in the world,'' Uden wrote in his blog after his speech, given to students at Korea University.
In particular, South Korea deserves recognition, he continued, as, through the United Nations, it raised a red flag about human rights violations in North Korea.
This year, the EU and South Korea (for the first time) are co-sponsors of the General Assembly resolution on human rights in North Korea, said the ambassador, who has been posted in Seoul for the third time
It was last month when South Korea co-sponsored the U.N. General Assembly resolution on human rights in North Korea, after years of ignorance.
The resolution expressed ``very serious concern'' for conditions in North Korea, citing treatment of repatriated defectors and workers' rights and restriction on freedom of religion.
Human rights violations in North Korea have taken a backseat in South Korea, particularly so during the last two administrations, in pursuit of the Sunshine Policy of engaging North Korea.
Uden noted that, and said that despite the progress made through high-level meetings and engagement activities, ``I don't remember anything (in terms of human rights).''
The envoy, who had just finished his first trip to Pyongyang a few weeks earlier, said, ``The United Kingdom maintains an embassy in Pyongyang. And there is the North Korean Embassy in London. We regularly engage at official, parliamentary and ministerial level on human rights issue. But they are not interested in dialogues.''
He suggested that pressure from the international community would be the most effective instrument for changing the human rights situation in North Korea.
Regarding human rights in South Korea, Martin said old human rights challenges that he had seen during his previous postings have for the most improved, except that ``we continue to press Seoul to take the final step and abolish the death penalty. (South) Korea really would be leading the way in this part of the world.''
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948 in Paris.
The Guinness Book of Records describes it as the ``most translated document'' in the world; the declaration was the first global expression of rights entitled to all human being. It consists of 30 articles that have become the basis of subsequent treaties, national constitutions and laws protecting human rights.