Trump Pressured to Raise North Korea's Human Rights Issues

By Jung Min-ho

Working toward a nuclear deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, US President Donald Trump remains silent on the regime's brutal human rights abuses, leaving advocates worried that he may not address the issue.

Ahead of the two leaders meetings in Hanoi on Feb.

27-28, human rights groups urged Trump to raise the issue directly with Kim

'Over a year ago, President Trump stood in front of Congress and pledged to challenge North Korea's human rights record,' said Francisco Bencosme, advocacy manager for Asia-Pacific at Amnesty International's US branch. 'Since then, President Trump has repeatedly disregarded the human rights of the North Korean people to gain favor with Kim Jung-un.

His silence in the face of relentless and grave human rights violations has been deafening.'

'The people of North Korea have endured enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, forced labor in prison camps, a total absence of press freedom, severe restrictions on freedom of expression and movement, and decades of separation of families.

But President Trump has turned his back on them for the sake of a photo-op.'

The scope...