US President Joe Biden appointed a special human rights envoy to North Korea on Monday, a post that remained vacant for the entire term of the previous Donald Trump administration. At the time, the former president was seeking ties to Pyongyang and met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times.
This had led to a relaxation of tensions between the two countries, without this leading to a long-term agreement.
A position that has existed since 2004
The position, which has the rank of ambassador, was created by a 2004 law aimed at lobbying for human rights in North Korea, one of the world’s most authoritarian countries.
Tension has risen sharply in recent months between North Korea and its southern neighbor, as well as the United States and Japan due to Pyongyang’s record number of missile launches in 2022.
In its latest annual human rights report, the State Department exposed widespread abuses in the reclusive country, including mass incarceration and forced labor.
Julie Turner, who is fluent in French and Korean according to her official bio, has yet to be confirmed in the position by a vote of the United States Senate.
Source: BFM TV
