[윤희영의 News English] ‘문재인 대통령님 귀하’ 국제인권단체가 보낸 공개 편지

 

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휴먼라이츠워치(HRW)가 며칠 전 문재인 대통령 앞으로 공개 편지(open letter)를 보냈다. 김부겸 총리, 정의용 외교부 장관, 이인영 통일부 장관을 참조인으로 한 편지 내용은 이랬다.

“문재인 대통령님 귀하

 

6국 28개 비정부기구와 전 북한인권 특별보고관 등 4명의 개인을 대신해(on behalf of them) 귀 정부가 제49차 유엔 인권이사회에서 연례 결의안 공동 제안 참여를 재개함으로써(resume the co-sponsorship of the annual resolution) 북한 내 끔찍한 인권 상황에 상응하는 행동을 취하도록 촉구하려고(urge your government to act in response to the dire human rights situation) 이 서한을 보냅니다.

 

북한의 인권 유린 심각성(gravity)은 익히 잘 알려져 있습니다. 유엔 북한인권조사위는 여전히 자행되고 있는 조직적이고 광범위한 엽기적 인권 침해를 조사해왔으며(investigate the ongoing systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations), 북한이 정권 차원에서 절멸(絶滅·extermination), 살인(murder), 노예화(enslavement), 고문(torture), 투옥(imprisonment), 강간(rape) 및 성폭력(sexual violence), 강제 낙태(forced abortion), 정치·종교·인종·성별에 따른 박해(persecution), 강제 이주(forced transfer of populations), 고의적인 장기간 굶주림 방치라는 비인도적 행위(inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation) 등 반인륜 범죄를 저지르고(commit crimes against humanity) 있음을 확인했습니다.

 

이에 따라 유엔 인권이사회와 총회는 그러한 실태를 강력히 규탄하는(strongly condemn) 결의안을 채택해왔으며, 한국 역시 2008~2018년 매년 공동 제안국으로 참여해 북한 내 인권 보호·향상 노력에 필수적 역할을 했었습니다(play an integral role). 그런데 2019년부터 귀 정부는 결의안 공동 제안을 거부하기 시작했습니다. 대신 평화와 번영을 통한 인권 개선 노력을 하겠노라 했습니다.

 

그러나 그런 정책 아래 성취된 결과는 거의 없었습니다. 인권 대화를 배제한(exclude human rights dialogue) 협력 추구는 지속적인 평화를 얻어 내지(secure a durable peace) 못했고, 끔찍한 인권 유린에 대한 침묵으로만 이어졌습니다(lead to silence on its horrific violations).

 

노선 변경이 절대적으로 필요합니다(be crucial). 귀 정부가 분명한 메시지를 보내 중대한 유린 행위를 저지른 자들에게 책임을 묻도록(hold accountable those responsible for grave abuses) 해야만 합니다. 대통령이 되시기 전에는 민주주의 투쟁 인권 변호사로서 끊임없이 노력하시지(work tirelessly as a human rights lawyer) 않았습니까.

대통령님께서 임기 말 마지막 공식 활동 중 하나로 올해 대북 결의안 공동 제안에 참여하시어 북한의 중대한 인권 유린에 확고한 원칙적 자세를 보여주실(take a principled stance) 것을 부탁드립니다.”

 

Dear President Moon Jae-in,

We are writing on behalf of 29 non-governmental organizations and coalitions, and five individuals from 6 different countries to urge your government to engage fully with the international community, and act in response to the dire human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) by resuming South Korea’s co-sponsorship of the annual resolution on the matter at the 49th UN Human Rights Council.

 

The gravity of the human rights situation in North Korea is well recognized. The UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea investigated the ongoing systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations in North Korea and found that the DPRK government has committed crimes against humanity pursuant to the state policies, which include “extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence, persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, the forcible transfer of populations, the enforced disappearance of persons and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation.” Following the COI’s findings, the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly regularly adopted resolutions strongly condemning North Korea’s human rights violations and calling for strengthening accountability efforts and mechanisms.

 

South Korea played an integral role in these efforts to improve human rights in North Korea. Every year from 2008 to 2018, the South Korean government co-sponsored resolutions on the DPRK in the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council that called for the promotion and protection of human rights in North Korea.

 

However, since 2019, the South Korean government has declined to co-sponsor resolutions on North Korean human rights issues at the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly. Your government claimed it would continue efforts to promote human rights in North Korea through peace and prosperity, considering the circumstances in the Korean peninsula, but very few concrete results were achieved under that policy.

 

The South Korean government’s promotion of dialogue and cooperation with North Korea, which excluded human rights dialogue, did not secure a durable peace in the Korean peninsula and led to silence on North Korea’s horrific rights violations. We believe that it is crucial that South Korea changes course, and that your government sends a clear message to North Korea to end human rights violations and hold accountable those responsible for grave abuses.

 

We note that the UN Human Rights Council, in its resolution 46/17 of March 23, 2021, and the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 76/177 of December 16, 2021, specifically expressed concern at the allegations of continued human rights violations against South Korean unrepatriated prisoners of war and their descendants, in addition to the previous calls to North Korea to resolve all issues relating to all abductees, in particular the realization of the immediate return of all South Korean abductees. These are issues which should be of paramount concern to your government.

 

Before becoming president, you worked tirelessly as a human rights lawyer in the struggle for democracy in South Korea. We now ask you, nearing the end of your five-year presidency, to take a principled stance on North Korea’s grave human rights violations with the co-sponsorship of the Human Rights Council’s resolution this year as one of your final official acts in office.

 

Thank you for your consideration, and we would be pleased to discuss these matters further with your staff. 

Sincerely,