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Washington¡¯s new special envoy for North Korean human rights, Jay Lefkowitz, has hinted the U.S. could link its food aid for the Stalinist country to human rights.
Asked at his maiden meeting with reporters at the State Department if the two should be linked, Lefkowitz said, ¡°North Korea is clearly a significant recipient of international aid, point No. 1. Point No. 2: there's no question that we want to see progress in terms of their human rights record. And No. 3, I think consistent with what the president's overall approach is to human rights and to bringing, ideally, North Korea into the community of nations, we have to take a look at all different areas of our relationship with North Korea."
The U.S. has so far provided food aid unconditionally. Lefkowitz, whose post was created under the North Korea Human Rights Act that went in effect in October, has duties that involve him in all facets of U.S. policy toward North Korea. He took office two days ago.
The envoy described his duties as "morally unambiguous" and stressed the plight of North Korea's 20 million people was intolerable. He said the human rights issue was black and white and vowed to discuss the matter in clear terms. He also urged Seoul and the South Korean people to become ¡°core partners¡± in U.S. efforts to improve the impoverished country¡¯s human rights record.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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