President Lee urges more attention on human rights conditions in N. Korea

SEOUL, July 20 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Monday asked the new chief
of the country's human rights watchdog to pay more attention to conditions in
North Korea, his spokesman said.
"We must pay more attention to protecting human rights, since Korea's reputation
in the international community has significantly improved," Lee was quoted as
saying in a ceremony appointing Hyun Byung-chul, the new head of the National
Human Rights Commission.
"There is also a need to pay special attention to human rights conditions in
North Korea," he said, according to his spokesman.
Lee, who took office in February last year, broke away from past administrations
who refrained from raising the sensitive issue. The commission has a team which
draws up reports on North Korea.
"Never look away when it is about human rights, and pay equally special attention
to both domestic and international issues," the president said.
Han is the first watchdog chief to be appointed by the Lee administration.
Lee on Monday also appointed new heads of the National Tax Service and the
National Statistical Office.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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