"文은 어째서 北에 강간을 멈추라 말하지 못하나"...FT, 인권단체의 비판 소개

"한국의 文이 北과의 유대를 인권보다 앞세우고 있다는 비판을 받고 있다" (Korea's Moon accused of putting ties with Pyongyang ahead of rights)

영국 파이낸셜타임즈(FT)가 1일(현지시간) 문재인 대통령에 대해 보도한 기사의 제목이다.

FT는 인권변호사 출신인 (former human rights lawyer) 문재인 대통령이 김정은 정권과의 평화를 위해 자신의 정치적 신념을 저버리고 있다는 비판을 받고 있다고 보도했다. (South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been accused of betraying his political convictions in his bid to make peace with Pyongyang).

신문은 문 대통령에 대한 비판이 국제인권감시기구(Human Rights Watch)가 2일(한국시간) 북한의 성폭력 실태에 대한 보고서를 공개한 이후 증가했다고 설명했다.

또한 탈북 여성들이 보고서의 인터뷰를 통해 '성폭력은 너무나 만연해서 그저 받아들여야만 하는 일상'이었다고 밝혔다고 보도했다. ("so common...it has come to be accepted as part of everyday life.")

FT에 따르면 국제인권감시기구를 이끄는 케네스 로스(Kenneth Roth) 소장이 문재인 대통령의 '정치적 비겁함'(polical cowardice)을 비판했다.

로스 소장은 어째서 문 대통령은 북한에게, "비핵화를 논의하겠지만, 북의 여성에 대한 성폭력과 강간을 멈추라"는 말을 하지 못하는 것이냐고 말했다. ("Why can't President Moon say 'Yes we're going to discuss denuclearisation but I also wanto you to stop sexual violence and rape against North Korean women'?")

FT는 로스 소장이 문재인 대통령에게 만남을 요청했지만 거부 당했다고 밝혔다. 또한 북한을 상대하는데 있어 문 대통령의 인권에 대한 신념이 의심받은 것은 이번이 처음이 아니라고 보도했다. (This is not the first time Mr. Moon has faced questions about his commitment to human rights in his dealing with Pyongyang.)

김민찬 기자 mkim@pennmike.com

*다음은 FT전문

Korea’s Moon accused of putting ties with Pyongyang ahead of rights

-NGO blames ‘political cowardice’ after detailing rampant violence against women in North

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been accused of betraying his political convictions in his bid to make peace with Pyongyang, after a new report revealed the rampant use of sexual violence against women by officials in the authoritarian country.The comments about Mr Moon — a former human rights lawyer — add to a growing chorus of complaints about Seoul’s eagerness to engage Pyongyang, even as the immediate threat of war subsides from the peninsula.On Thursday, North and South Korea officially ceased all “hostile acts” in their border region, fulfilling an agreement signed in September by military chiefs to permanently reduce tension.The deal forms part of Mr Moon’s effort to spur the denuclearisation of North Korea by normalising relations with Pyongyang and using economic integration to open up the totalitarian regime. However, the focus on maintaining cheery ties with Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader, has increasingly left Mr Moon open to criticism he is ignoring the severe deprivation and abuse suffered by millions of North Korean citizens.That criticism increased on Thursday when Human Rights Watch released a report detailing the rampant use of sexual violence against women by officials in North Korea.Based on interviews with scores of female defectors who escaped North Korea, the report noted that sexual violence was “so common . . . it has come to be accepted as part of everyday life”.“They consider us sex toys,” said Oh Jung Hee, a former trader who worked in one of North Korea’s ubiquitous but technically illegal markets known as jangmadang.

“On the days they felt like it, market guards or police officials could ask me to follow them to an empty room outside the market, or some other place they’d pick,” she said, outlining how North Korea’s grassroots economic liberalisation was tied to sexual bribery. Kenneth Roth, director of Human Rights Watch, accused Mr Moon of “political cowardice” in not raising the issue with Pyongyang.“Why can’t President Moon say ‘Yes, we’re going to discuss denuclearisation but I also want you to stop the sexual violence and rape against North Korean women’?” said Mr Roth, adding that he was refused a meeting with the South Korean leader in Seoul this week.“It is an utterly do-able approach. Governments can walk and chew gum at the same times. They can do two things,” he said.South Korea’s presidential Blue House did not respond immediately to the criticism.

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This is not the first time Mr Moon has faced questions about his commitment to human rights in his dealings with Pyongyang.Activists and North Korean defectors have in recent months expressed dismay that neither Seoul nor Washington appears willing to address the issue, despite their numerous high-profile summits with Pyongyang. Lee So Hyun — another defector who suffered violence — called on Mr Moon to increase pressure on Mr Kim, even with basic requests such as pushing North Korea to improve sex education. Mr Roth said: “This isn’t seeking revolutionary change. The North Korean government could fix the issue tomorrow if it wanted. With President Moon’s help, we can stop the rape of women in North Korea.”