This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8451114.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
US warns N Korea on rights record US warns N Korea on rights record
(about 1 hour later)
North Korea must improve its "appalling" human rights record if it wants better relations with the United States, a visiting US envoy has said. North Korea must improve its "appalling" human rights record if it wants better relations with the United States, a US envoy has said.
Robert King, US special envoy for North Korean human rights, is on his first official trip to South Korea.Robert King, US special envoy for North Korean human rights, is on his first official trip to South Korea.
In its traditional New Year editorial, the North called for an end to hostile relations with the United States. North Korea said it could return to talks on its nuclear programme in exchange for a peace treaty with the US and an end to sanctions.
Mr King also insisted that people fleeing the North should be recognised as refugees. The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire not a peace treaty.
Many who flee into China have been caught and sent back to North Korea as economic migrants. In a statement carried on North Korea's official news agency, the foreign ministry said "it is essential to conclude a peace treaty for terminating the state of war, a root cause of the hostile relations" between Pyongyang and the US.
'Appalling' The North has previously said it could return to the six-party talks on its nuclear programme, but these are the first conditions that it has set out.
"It's one of the worst places in terms of lack of human rights. The situation is appalling," Mr King said on the first full day of a fact-finding visit to South Korea. 'Important condition'
The statement comes as Mr King described the North's human rights situation as "appalling". He said human rights must be addressed as part of stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks.
"It's one of the worst places in terms of lack of human rights," he said on the first day of a fact-finding visit to South Korea.
"As we have said on many occasions a relationship between the US and North Korea will have to involve human rights," Mr King told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan."As we have said on many occasions a relationship between the US and North Korea will have to involve human rights," Mr King told reporters after meeting Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan.
"To improve relations between the US and North Korea will have to involve a greater respect for human rights by North Korea. That's one of the important conditions," he said."To improve relations between the US and North Korea will have to involve a greater respect for human rights by North Korea. That's one of the important conditions," he said.
Mr King said rights must be addressed as part of stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks. Pyongyang pulled out of talks on ending its nuclear programme last April following widespread condemnation of a long-range missile launch.
The US nuclear envoy for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, visited the North last month to try to persuade it to return to the six-party talks.
The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last month heard demands from western countries that North Korea open up to international organisations and monitors.
Countries also raised concerns about "serious human rights violations" including reports of child labour, executions, the detention of political prisoners and torture.
The North's representative dismissed many of the allegations as "fabricated".
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, Vitit Muntarbhorn, is also visiting South Korea this week, but has been barred from travelling to the North.
Lasting peace?
Mr King also said the US was trying to find out what happened to the young missionary, Robert Park, who walked into North Korea in late December.
"We are actively working to find out where he is being held and to urge that he be released. We have requested that our protecting power in Pyongyang determine his condition and we have not heard yet what that is," Mr King said.
North Korea's New Year message, carried in major newspapers, said Pyongyang wanted "a lasting peace system on the Korean Peninsula".
In response, a US State Department official said North Korea should show its good faith by returning to six-party talks on its nuclear programme.
Pyongyang pulled out of the talks last April following widespread condemnation of a long-range missile launch.
International pressure grew following a nuclear test in May - which drew UN sanctions and further missile tests.International pressure grew following a nuclear test in May - which drew UN sanctions and further missile tests.
But in December, North Korea said it would work with the US to "narrow remaining differences" following a visit to Pyongyang by US President Barack Obama's special envoy Stephen Bosworth.But in December, North Korea said it would work with the US to "narrow remaining differences" following a visit to Pyongyang by US President Barack Obama's special envoy Stephen Bosworth.