[ad_1]
The Human Rights Committee, a bipartisan organization of the United States Congress, is scheduled to hold a hearing on the Korean War Against North Korea Act. At the hearing to be held next year, when the new session begins, it is expected that unusual measures by the Korean government related to human rights issues will be thoroughly reviewed. Reporter Lee Jo-eun reports.
When the ‘Tom Lantos Human Rights Committee’, a bipartisan organization of the United States Congress that deals with human rights issues around the world, begins its new session in January next year, it will hold a hearing to review the laws. war against North Korea.
Republican officials on the committee said on the 16th that the hearing will be held as originally announced by the VOA.
The official said that it is not impossible to hold a hearing within this month, but given that this session of Congress is only a few days away, a specific schedule for the hearing will be scheduled starting in early January next year, when the next session begins. .
The Human Rights Committee is known to have initiated a preliminary review process for holding a hearing, such as holding a briefing for staff to review the details of the North Korea War Prohibition Act. North about next week.
This hearing is expected to be the first action by the United States Congress on the implementation of the Korean National Assembly’s war ban against North Korea.
On the 11th, Congressman Chris Smith, Republican Party Co-Chair of Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, made a statement in which he harshly criticized the policy of the ruling South Korean Democratic Party of enforcing anti-war laws against North Korea.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that if the war ban against North Korea is finally approved, a parliamentary hearing will be convened.
Despite voices of concern in the United States Congress, on the 14th, the Korean National Assembly passed a bill to amend the Inter-Korean Relations Development Act, which prohibits the spread of the war against North Korea. .
The amendment made possible prison terms or fines of up to three years for violating the agreement between the two Koreas, such as posting flyers near the military demarcation line or broadcasting over loudspeakers to North Korea.
In addition to the War Against North Korea Act, the ROK government’s actions on human rights issues are expected to be thoroughly reviewed at the US Congress hearing next year.
In a previously issued statement, President Smith said, pointing to the Moon Jae-in administration, “I am seriously concerned by South Korea’s disregard for basic civil liberties and the growing acquiescence of communist North Korea.”
At the same time, he said, “we will proceed with a hearing on the failure of the Korean government to defend its civil and democratic rights.”
As witnesses to the hearing, current and former officials who were active in the State Department, officials from North Korean human rights organizations, and think tanks are expected to attend.
In the past, committee hearings have witnessed high-ranking officials, such as the Under Secretary of State for Human Rights and the Ambassador for International Religious Freedom.
President Smith said in the State Department’s Annual Human Rights Report and the International Religious Freedom Report that if Korea’s anti-war law is passed, Korea should be reevaluated. It should be noted whether these measures will be discussed at the hearing.
This is the VOA News Lee Jo-eun.
[ad_2]
