동북아 국가의 북한 인권문제를 둘러싼 인식과 전략

Recognition and Strategy on the North Korean Human Rights Issues in Northeast Asian Countries

This research aims to examine two different approaches to the North Korean human rights issue, the approach of the United States and Japan, contrasted with the Sino- North Korea approach. It examines both the differences and commonalities that these two distinct approaches have. North Korea’s human right issue is not only a human right issue but also closely associated with features of the regime and its foreign policy. Therefore, there exists irreconcilable differences of opinion among the Northeast Asian countries. The United States aims to improve the human rights situation overall and wants regime change while Japan shows instrumental approaches to solving the abduction issue. In case of China, they agree with North Korea’s official view on human rights because they worry that North Korea’s human right situation can be expanded to encompass Chinaese human right issues. Therefore, China insists that human right issue should not be used as a political weapon to limit state sovereignty. All these countries approach the North Korean human right issue on basis of their national interests. As a consequence, the North Korean human right issue is unlikely to be resolved soon, and indeed might get still worse.