South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed a conservative university professor and critic of North Korea's human rights record as the new Minister of Unification on Thursday, in a cabinet reshuffle. The Ministry of Unification is responsible for managing relations with Pyongyang.
The appointment of Kim Young-ho, a political science professor at Sookmyung Women's University, comes as Yoon seeks to highlight human rights violations in North Korea amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. After the announcement of his appointment, Kim told reporters, "I will do my utmost to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue by following a principled approach and laying the groundwork for improving inter-Korean relations."
In March, Yoon indicated that "the international community should have a better understanding of the situation in the North." Kim, 63, previously served as the presidential secretary for unification and was appointed as a human rights envoy in the conservative administrations of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.
This appointment is likely to add pressure to inter-Korean relations, as North Korea has consistently rejected criticisms of its human rights situation, viewing them as part of a conspiracy to overthrow its leaders.
