People, including North Koreans, have the right to live in a world where their human rights are respected. So said Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday at the Department of State, speaking on behalf of President George W. Bush.

Ahead of meeting the newly appointed U.S. human rights envoy for North Korea, Jay Lefkowitz, Secretary Rice stressed the need to highlight North Korea's human rights abuses. She said Mr. Lefkowitz will have the chance to raise the profile of human rights conditions in North Korea and look into ways of improving the situation there by cooperating with the international community. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Secretary Rice expressed her strong support for Mr. Lefkowitz and the two officials discussed the future course of his duties.

Jay Lefkowitz served as deputy assistant to President Bush on domestic policy and as a public member of the U.S. delegation to the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. He was named as U.S. special envoy on human rights in North Korea last month after the post was created under the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, which was signed into law last October.

The law promotes international cooperation on human rights and democracy in North Korea. Mr. Lefkowitz officially started work on Tuesday at the State Department, reporting directly to the secretary of state.

He plans to visit South Korea and China to discuss humanitarian issues in North Korea after spending the next two-to-three months adapting to the duties of his new post.

Arirang News