Seoul Summit: Overview and opening dinner
(by guest blogger Andy Jackson)
This a part of a series of posts on the Seoul Summit: Promoting Human Rights in North Korea and related events.
This is the first in what probably be a dozen or so posts on the Seoul Summit and some other events. While I hope to have them done by the evening of Monday, December 12 (Korean time), family, work and other commitments might stretch the project out a day or two.
While participants such Ambassador Alexander Vershbow and Jay Lefkowitz were the headliners, I was more interested in what some of the less famous participants had to say for a couple of reasons. First, I figured that the headliners would be well covered by the MSM. Second, with a few noted exceptions, the perspectives of the major speakers are already well known. So I will link to media coverage of the headliners (along with any observations I may have) and share the views of some of the lesser-known speakers on this blog.
Opening Dinner
While neither an expert on human rights nor an NGO leader, I was invited to the welcoming dinner because of my work promoting the summit in Seoul’s expat and diplomatic communities.
The dinner was relatively uneventful, although I did get do talk a little with pretty interesting group of people. Several Grand National Party candidates were there, including party Chairwoman Park Geun-hye, Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, and GNP foreign policy expert Park Jin.
Park gave surprisingly strongly worded statement on human rights in North Korea:
Park said in her speech, “Human rights is a universal value that is superior to any system or beliefs. Being silent on North Korea’s human rights situation is the same as ignoring the value collectively supported by humankind.”
The piece didn’t include what I consider her strongest statement: “Human rights in North Korea should be a precondition for economic aid.”
Lee later added that he supports humanitarian aid to North Korea but wants the South Korean government to address North Korean human rights.
Political Notes
Lee Myung-bak came in a little late and sat down at a table in the front of the room where Park Geun-hye was sitting. They exchanged pleasantries for a few seconds, then Park got up and left the room. Chilly.
While Lee might be the best dressed politician in Korea his manner is a little overbearing including talking pretty loudly while a presenter was speaking. If that is really his style, I expect he will make some fatal gaft long before he has a chance to become president.