TAIWAN CAUTIOUS ON DPRK HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TAIPEI 001579

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2018
TAGS: CH KN KS PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: TAIWAN CAUTIOUS ON DPRK HUMAN RIGHTS

Classified By: Deputy Director Robert S. Wang for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).


1. (C) Summary: During recent meetings with a visiting U.S.
envoy, Taiwan government and NGO officials displayed little
understanding or concern about human rights issues in North
Korea. While willing, in principle, to expand cooperation
with the United States, local thinktank Taiwan Foundation for
Democracy (TFD) staff said limited resources hampered their
ability to assist U.S. efforts in any significant way.
Neither MOFA nor TFD offered concrete commitments beyond
participation in an upcoming Donors, Conference in London.
End Summary.

North Korea Not on MOFA's Map
--------------

2. (C) MOFA East Asia Pacific (EAP) Deputy Director General
Lee Tsung-fen met U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Human Rights
in North Korea Christian Whiton September 30 to discuss
Taiwan policies toward the DPRK. A last-minute substitute
for her boss, Lee was unfamiliar with the North Korean human
rights situation, and, indeed, North Korean issues in
general. (This included, at several points during the
meeting, misidentifying the leader of North Korea.) In the
end, Lee would only commit to monitor the human rights
situation in North Korea "closely and cautiously" and to send
a TECRO representative to an upcoming Donors, Conference in
London. Despite her relative unfamiliarity with the issue,
Lee warned that the U.S. approach to North Korea was "too
hard" and not in line with Southeast Asian preferences for a
"soft" approach. Hardline policy does not guarantee results,
she suggested.

NGO Open to Cooperation, but Resources Limited
-------------- --------------

3. (C) During a meeting earlier in the day, Taiwan Foundation
for Democracy (TFD) Executive Director Lin Wen-cheng agreed
that human rights were linked to regional security and was
receptive, in principle, to increased cooperation with the
United States on this issue. At the same time, Director Lin
said his budget derived almost entirely from the government,
whose current budget process left TFD with limited resources
and uncertain budgets each year. He made a plea for Whiton to
lobby for greater funding from MOFA. While Lin expressed
willingness to send a representative to the Donors,
Conference in London, logistical difficulties prevented their
participation.

Radio Broadcasts Could Be More Effective
--------------

4. (C) TFD representatives also discussed the Voice of
Taiwan, Taiwanese Buddhist charitable foundations, and other
efforts to reach out to the people of North Korea through
radio broadcasts or foreign aid projects. Commenting on
Japanese broadcasts aimed at the DPRK, TFD Director Lin
suggested the United States engage Japan directly on
utilizing their resources more effectively, specifically by
using Korean rather than Japanese in radio programs targeted
at the North Korean audience.


5. (C) National Chengchi University Professor Lee Ming agreed
that radio broadcasts could be an effective tool in reaching
the North Korean population. However, he suggested using
South Koreans in the broadcasts rather than North Korean
defectors. Despite having linguistic advantages, using
defectors would make North Korean listeners uncomfortable and
less receptive to the message since they would instinctively
view the defectors as traitors to the motherland. On the
other hand, Lee continued, North Koreans describing their
personal experiences abroad could be helpful, but it was
important to differentiate the broadcasting programs.
SYOUNG