US envoy visits S Korea Saturday

U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues Robert King , is expected to arrive here tomorrow, Saturday for a two-day visit to S.Korea. During his visit, King will discuss human rights issues in North Korea when he meets with senior officials in South Korea’s foreign ministry and unification ministry, in addition to NGOs that deal with human rights issues in North Korea. The US State Department announced Thursday that King’s five-day trip is to “continue the United States’close coordination with the Republic of Korea on North Korea human rights issues.” It said in a press release , “The United States remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation inside the DPRK (North Korea) and the well-being of the North Korean people,” the department added. “Human rights are a top U.S. priority.” The ambassador is scheduled to meet with his counterparts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ministry of Unification, which handles inter-Korean relations. He will also meet with National Assembly members, NGOs, and North Korea experts, according to the department. It would be King’s first trip to South Korea since June. South Korea and the U.S. have increased pressure on North Korea to improve its human rights record since the North’s failed launch of a long-range rocket on April 13.