Alleviating Misery: The Politics of North Korean Human Rights in U.S. Foreign Policy

Article Type: Research paper Purpose—This article explores the politicization of North Korean human rights in U.S. foreign policy and the emergence of two different networks addressing suffering inside North Korea. Design/methodology/approach—Drawing on evidence from primary and secondary accounts, interviews with human rights activists, and participant-observation at thirteen North Korean human rights events in Washington, D.C., I trace the evolution of human rights action and discourse from the 1990s to the present period. Findings—Short-and long-term strategic goals interacted with different moral and principled beliefs, thus resulting in two different policy-activist networks working to alleviate the plight of North Koreans. One group stressed continued humanitarian engagement with North Korea. A second network emerged, shifting their focus towards advocacy and awareness, demanding greater political rights and freedoms for North Koreans. Practical Implications—This article helps identify different cleavages and areas for convergence for activists, practitioners, and policymakers when addressing North Korean human rights. Originality/value—This is the first study to systematically evaluate how activists and policymakers have addressed North Korean human rights issues in U.S. foreign policy.