North to sever all inter-Korean ties on enactment of human rights bill on N. Korea

SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea threatened on Tuesday to cut off all relations between the two Koreas if South Korea passes a bill designed to help improve North Korea's dismal human rights conditions.
"From the moment (South Korea) manipulates the 'North Korea human rights bill' despite our strong warnings, all relations between North and South Korea will be completely severed," the Rodong Sinmun, the North's main newspaper, said in a commentary carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The commentary stressed that it is not a simple threat and that no contact whatsoever will happen.
"If the foul law does pass the parliament, it would be an official declaration that (South Korea) does not legally acknowledge our dignity, autonomy and socialist system," the commentary said.
The remarks come as the South Korean government and the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) are pushing this month to endorse a bill that calls for assistance to improve the human rights record and humanitarian aid for North Koreans. The bill has been left untouched in the parliamentary judiciary committee since last year.
Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and Justice Minister Lee Kwi-nam on Friday also voiced support for the passage of the bill.
The endorsement of the bill, however, is facing hurdles as the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) recently said it will submit a separate bill that primarily focuses on humanitarian aid to the North amid concerns the GNP-sponsored bill could further sour inter-Korean relations.