ROK OPPOSES IRAN'S HRC CANDIDACY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001445 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR CHA E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2015 TAGS: KUNR PHUM UNHRC PREL KS SUBJECT: ROK OPPOSES IRAN'S HRC CANDIDACY REF: A. STATE 66050 ¶B. SEOUL 1279 ¶C. STATE 60967 Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b),(d). ¶1. (C) On April 27, POL M/C delivered Ref A points, urging opposition to Iran's candidacy to the UN Human Rights Council, to Cho Tae-yong, Director-General of the North American Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The same points were also delivered to Jang Hyun-cheol, Deputy Director of MOFAT's Human Rights and Social Affairs Division. Jang confirmed that Seoul was determined not to support Iran's HRC candidacy. In general, the ROK would oppose any country for the HRC that faced international criticism for its human rights practices, such as Iran. Jang noted that Iran was the subject of an UNGA human rights resolution in 2005. Seoul also would oppose those that voted against the establishment of the HRC. ¶2. (C) Asked whether the ROK would be willing to campaign against Iran, Jang acknowledged that the ROK was focusing on getting itself elected the HRC. Seoul was cautiously optimist about its chances, having already accepted proposals from others for mutual support of each others' HRC candidacy, Jang noted. Iran had proposed the same thing, but Korea declined. ¶3. (SBU) Poloff separately conveyed Ref A points for informational purposes to MOFAT's UN Division. VERSHBOW