HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS: WHEN AND WHY DOES SOUTH KOREA TALK ABOUT NORTH KOREAN HUMAN RIGHTS?

The study examines whether human rights were treated as an instrument of pressure, a component of dialogue, or subordinated to broader goals of security and regional stability. An analysis of strategic documents, political speeches, and legislative actions reveals clear differences between progressive and conservative administrations. The issue of human rights vis-à-vis the DPRK does not constitute a stable, cross-party pillar of Seoul’s policy; rather, it is reinterpreted in accordance with prevailing security priorities and the overall strategy adopted toward the North. The entire CAA Paper is available here.