February 4 2012 RECENT RELEASE ¢º Seoul Initiative for the Improvement of North Korea Human Rights by Bohyuk Suh Ten years have passed since the human rights conditions in North Korea has drawn international concerns and criticisms, resulting in a string of resolutions adopted by the United Nations human rights mechanisms. Despite such collective efforts, North Korean human rights issue still remains prevalent and pervasive. But why? One can point the finger to North Korea's negative attitude or position on human rights to be one reason, but is that all? Couldn¡¯t it also be possible that the past approaches taken by the international community were problematic? In particular, South Korea's policy toward North Korea shifted back and forth between radical and gradual approaches, at the mercy of the administration in power at the time. With the experience of democratization and rich information base on North Korea under its belt, South Korea is capable of playing a more active role in influencing and improving the North Korean human rights situation. The unique relation between the North and South is unlike any other country, and South Korea can easily utilize such relations to serve the function as the strategic leverage in the future. This article suggests the concept of "Korean human rights" as an alternative approach for South Korea, to constructively contribute in improving the situation of human rights in North Korea. In addition, the notion of "Korean human rights" will be discussed as a method to overcome the limitations that both South Korea and the international community have faced in the past, and propose a framework that will be applicable to the Korean peninsula for a more effective application of the international human rights conventions at the regional level. Following the introduction, in the next two sections, strategic dynamics of South Korea and the international community will be evaluated and the method of implementation for "Korean human rights" will be discussed in detail. In closing, the article will summarize the main points of the discussion above and raise its limit for further study. ¢º The G20 Calls Truce on Currency War by Wonhyuk Lim The recent G20 agreement doesn't force its members to adopt all the necessary macroeconomic policy or resolve their domestic political problems, but at least it helps to shift the policy focus away from the RMB-USD nominal exchange rate and to larger, more fundamental issues. As such, the agreement qualifies as a step forward. With international coordination taking shape, it is now up to individual nations to craft domestic political consensus to get their policy right. ¢º State of Affairs on the Korean Peninsula after the Cheonan Incident by Suh, Bo-hyuk Whereas the U.S.-North Korean relationship has improved since the disablement stage of nuclear facilities in North Korea in 2008, it has faced more obstacles in 2009 with the second missile testing and exacerbated after the Cheonan sinking. This trend clearly displays the codependence between the inter-Korean relationship and the U.S.-North Korean relationship. Paradoxically, American relations with North Korea have worsened since the inauguration of President Obama, who has persistently renounced the Bush administration¡¯s unilateral diplomacy and emphasized the significance of dialogue. ¢º Improving Human Rights in North Korea: The Interdependence of Peace and Human Rights by Bohyuk Suh Peace is a requirement for the general realization of human rights as well as a human right in itself. Ongoing military tensions such as the armistice on the Korean peninsula, U.S. security threats toward North Korea, and North Korea¡¯s nuclear development are challenges to peace and could make improvement of human rights in North Korea difficult. Therefore, it is meaningless to discuss peace on the Korean peninsula without the improvement of human rights and to discuss human rights in North Korea without peace on the Korean peninsula. Mutual interdependence of peace and human rights on the Korean peninsula is expected to deepen further. ¢º North-South Korean talks are South Korea's strategic asset: Why the Lee Myung-bak administration .. by Bohyuk Suh So the current suspension of talks with the North is strategically not advantageous to South Korea. It should not wait until North Korea bows its head and proposes talks, but should actively head start and engage in leading North-South relations. Inter-Korean talks stand as a bridge to the harmonization role of South Korea in North Korea-U.S. talks, the increase of South Korea¡¯s role in the North Korean nuclear problem, overcoming the economic crisis and establishing trust between the two Koreas. The North-South Korean talks is a strategic asset only South Korea can possess. Holding complex significance, it should not be further wasted as a tool to clash with North Korea. Can the Minister of Unification designate initiate inter-Korean dialogue toward the road of ¡®mutual benefits and common prosperity¡¯?

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