Ruling Saenuri Party chairman Hwang Woo Yea commented today, “The claim that discussing North Korean human rights issues represents interference in North Korean domestic affairs is not something a UN member state can possibly say.”

Hwang’s remarks were aimed at fellow lawmaker Lee Hae Chan, the newly elected chairman of the opposition United Democratic Party, who made a claim on July 4th to the effect that the Saenuri sponsored ‘North Korea Human Rights Law’ would, if passed, represent interference in North Korean affairs.

“State-to-state interference in internal affairs is not desirable,” Lee, who was speaking during a radio interview on the subject of the proposed human rights law, commented.

Hwang, who was speaking at the ‘North Korean Human Rights Law Awareness Forum’ at the National Assembly Library this morning, went on, “We could not pass the North Korean Human Rights Law during the 18th National Assembly due to the opposition of a few parties.”

He emphasized, “During the 17th and 18th National Assemblies, many said that the North Korean Human Rights Law should be passed even if it needs to be forced through, but doing so would be such an embarrassment,” before adding, “It must be passed by consensus.”