Gov't Names 1st N.Korea Human Rights Envoy in 5 Years

The government on Tuesday appointed Prof. Lee Shin-wha (57) of Korea University as North Korea human rights ambassador on Tuesday, filling a position that has been vacant for five years. 

The presidential office also announced a plan to launch a North Korea human rights foundation, a project that has been adrift for six years. 

Both the post and the foundation are mandated by the North Korea human rights law that went into effect in September 2016, but the previous government ignored it to keep North Korea on side. 

A graduate of Ewha Womans University, Lee received a doctorate degree in international politics from the University of Maryland. She worked as a researcher at the World Bank and the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, as a special advisor to the executive director of the Independent Inquiry into UN actions during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, and as chair of the Korea Academic Council on the UN System. She has taught political science at Korea University since 2003. 

Lee's appointment "reflects the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's intention to take the initiative in improving the human rights situation in North Korea in cooperation with the international community," presidential spokeswoman Kang In-sun said.