Page 99 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

provoking both domestic and international controversy.
In South Korea, divergent perceptions of the North
Korean regime between conservatives and liberals result in
pronounced policy differences. Globally, championing human
rights is often considered progressive, yet in South Korea,
when connected to North Korea, it becomes a contentious
issue aligned more with conservative agendas. This paradox
manifests when a liberal government in the South accentuates
the “special relationship” between the two Koreas, treading
lightly to avoid provoking the North by raising human rights
issues.

Lastly, as long as Kim Jong-Un remains in power, North
Korea is unlikely to relinquish its nuclear and missile
programs, persisting in its demand for U.S. recognition as a
nuclear armed state. The regime’s refusal to take responsibility
for its actions and violations is fundamental to both its nuclear
program and its gross human rights abuses, propelling it to
strive for exceptional status, undermine international norms,
and evade international accountability. Moreover, in the midst
of escalating strategic conflicts, such as between the United
States and China or the Russia-Ukraine war, North Korea’s
bad behavior is increasingly overlooked, further fostering its
impunity.

Despite these limitations, reflecting back, the 2014 COI
Report marked a significant milestone in acknowledging
North Korean human rights abuses as “crimes against
humanity.” However, subsequent years witnessed missed
opportunities as political priorities in South Korea and
the United States, including inter-Korean relations and

98 Section II : Human Rights, Abductees, Forced Repatriation of Refugees and the Regional Implications