Belarus Critical of South Korean Human Rights Vote

After voting for a UN resolution condemning the human rights situation in the former Soviet republic of Belarus, South Korea is now receiving criticism from the country over it’s double standards for human rights in regards to it’s blind eye the government turns towards North Korea’s human rights situation:

A journalist of Belarus working in Moscow complained on October 31 about the South Korean government’s attitude by saying, “North Korea does not even have opposition parties or critical press to be suppressed.” His point was that the South Korean government should apply the same standards to all human rights resolutions.

It is true that those countries of former Soviet Union, on which human rights resolutions are passed in the U.N., have much better human rights conditions compared to North Korea, which is notorious for chronic food shortages and concentration camps for political prisoners.

The journalist from Belarus brings up a good point that South Korea has little creditability in regards to these human rights resolutions if they continue to not condemn the horrid human rights situation located just 30 miles north of Seoul. Korea if it continues to hold it’s position about human rights in Korea will only bring less creditability to the countries in North America and Europe who do care about human rights if they continue to vote for these resolutions.

South Korea maintains that the relationship with North Korea is a special circumstance. Using this logic any country that violates human rights can say they have to take these actions due to special circumstances within the country. This is why it would be better if South Korea just abstains from these human rights resolutions instead of voting for them. It makes the South Korean position more consistent and brings more creditability to the nations pushing these resolutions.