Spokesperson‘s commentary on U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights Jay Lefkowitz’s contribution to the WSJ dated April 28, 2006
However, it is highly regrettable that he, without accurate understanding of the objectives and realities of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex(GIC) project, gave a distorted view of the project by inappropriately linking wages paid to North Korean workers in Gaeseong and the labor environment with human rights issue, and made remarks that could damage reputations of South Korean enterprises doing businesses in the industrial park.
The GIC project is being carried out not as compensation for Pyongyang's illegal behavior; it is a market-economy-based project pursued by the South Korean enterprises which have moved in the GIC, hire North Korean workers and pay wages to them in consideration of profits created, and at the same time, a project providing an opportunity for the North to learn how to earn money in a fair way through working. Facilities and assets provided by the South Korean enterprises are all in possession of them in accordance with the Inter-Korean Agreement on Investment Guarantee.
The South Korean government, in a forum on the Gaeseong Industrial Complex hosted by the KEI and AEI in Washington on April 18, provided a full briefing on issues associated with wages and labor environment in Gaeseong, and also directly explained to the U.S. government officials such issues.
The South provided a detailed explanation that wages paid to workers within Gaeseong are higher than those in other North Korean regions, labor environment also meets the international standard, and direct payment of wages that has been already agreed between the two Koreas will be implemented after North Korea completes relevant technical preparations.
Given that the ROK-US have affirmed its common understanding on several occasions that the GIC project contributes to peace and co-prosperity on the Korean peninsula, it is hard to understand that Mr. Lefkowitz, who did not attend the above-mentioned forum and government-level consultations, showed such a biased view on these issues without proper understanding of them.
Taking into consideration the U.S.'s higher understanding and appreciation of the GIC project after its Congressional staff's recent visits to the industrial park, if he makes a visit to Gaeseong, it will be a good opportunity for him to have a correct understanding of the project.
It is also regrettable that the special envoy, taking issue with the lack of monitoring on humanitarian aid to the North, provided a distorted interpretation of the issue. Strict monitoring should be implemented in the process of humanitarian aid to North Korea, and the South Korean government has indeed intensified the monitoring in providing its aid to the North. However, Mr. Lefkowitz, judging the monitoring issue by his own criteria, denied the humanitarian assistance to the North itself under the pretext of lack of the monitoring. It is a unilateral and narrow-minded thought as well as an anti-humanitarian and inhumane attitude to talk about North Korean human rights issue on one hand and turn a blind eye to dire situation facing the North Korean residents on the other hand.
The government, from its objective and balanced point of view on the reality in North Korea as well as the Korean peninsula, will continue its endeavors for the settlement of North Korean human rights issue in harmony with other humanitarian issues.
웹사이트: http://www.unikorea.go.kr
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