U.S. President Donald Trump looks at North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their one-on-one meeting in Hanoi, Feb. 28. Reuters

By Jung Min-ho

Trump, Kim discussing 'everything' - including human rights 2019-02-28 14:50  |  North Korea
Working toward a nuclear deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, U.S. President Donald Trump remains silent on the regime's brutal human rights abuses, leaving advocates worried that he may not address the issue.

Ahead of the two leaders meetings in Hanoi on Feb. 27-28, human rights groups urged Trump to raise the issue directly with Kim.

"Over a year ago, President Trump stood in front of Congress and pledged to challenge North Korea's human rights record," said Francisco Bencosme, advocacy manager for Asia-Pacific at Amnesty International's U.S. branch. "Since then, President Trump has repeatedly disregarded the human rights of the North Korean people to gain favor with Kim Jung-un. His silence in the face of relentless and grave human rights violations has been deafening."

"The people of North Korea have endured enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, forced labor in prison camps, a total absence of press freedom, severe restrictions on freedom of expression and movement, and decades of separation of families. But President Trump has turned his back on them for the sake of a photo-op."

The scope of North Korea's human rights violations is unclear. However, according to a 2014 U.N. report, the North was committing "widespread and gross" human rights abuses.

Another report that Human Rights Watch released last year said North Korean officials such as police officers and detention facility guards frequently assaulted people, including women.

Experts say Trump appears to be taking a cautious approach to dealing with the issue out of concerns that a blunt approach would solve nothing but derail nuclear diplomacy.

"Both leaders must ensure that human rights are a focal point of this summit," Bencosme said. "No country is exempt from international law and their obligations to uphold human rights."