VZCZCXYZ0015
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #0183/01 0130926
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 130926Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5419
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0216
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9890
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7053
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 9972
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 1022
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J2 SEOUL KOR
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000183 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2015 
TAGS: PREL KUNR PHUM UN KS ADCO
SUBJECT: ROK SUPPORTIVE OF UN REFORM 
 
REF: A. STATE 04746 
 
     ¶B. STATE 04745 
     ¶C. SEOUL 00166 
 
Classified By: A/POL Sung Y. Kim.  Reasons 1.4 (b), (d). 
 
¶1. (C) On January 13, poloff delivered ref A and B demarches 
requesting support for USG UN reform objectives to Oh 
Young-ju, Deputy Director of the UN Division at the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Jang Hyun-cheol, Deputy 
Director of the Human Rights and Social Affairs Division.  Oh 
said Seoul essentially shared the same position as Washington 
on UN management reform and the creation of a Human Rights 
Council.  She expected some resistance from developing 
countries on the mandate review proposal, but it was more 
important to use funds efficiently and effectively.  On the 
Human Rights Council, Jang said Seoul agreed the Council 
should be smaller than the Human Rights Commission, but said 
South Korea did not want it too small because Seoul would 
seek election to the Council.  Oh and Jang emphasized that 
human rights, along with security and development issues, was 
a key pillar supporting the UN mission.  They provided a ROK 
position paper on the establishment of the Human Rights 
Council.  Text of the nonpaper is contained in paragraph 
three below. 
 
¶2.  (C) Deputy Directors Oh and Jang said they were aware 
that Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon had discussed UN management 
reform and the Human Rights Council with the Ambassador the 
previous day (reftel c) and that the Foreign Minister was 
looking forward to meeting with Ambassador Bolton in New York. 
 
¶3.  (U) The ROK's position on the Establishment of  Human 
Rights Council (HRC) 
 
In order to strengthen the UN's role in the protection and 
promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in 
particular improve the functions of the existing Commission 
on Human Rights (CHR), we believe that a new HRC must be 
created to overcome the long-standing doubts over the CHR's 
selectivity and inefficiency which in fact prompted the very 
need for the HRC in the first place. 
 
-- Such efforts should include: enhancing the status of the 
HRC, making it a standing body, and establishing a new 
periodic review system. 
 
We share the view that agreement should be reached as soon as 
possible and that the HRC should be established prior to the 
session of the CHR. 
 
Our positions on key detailed considerations are primarily as 
follows: 
 
Status 
-- It would be a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly 
(GA) with a review undertaken on upgrading its status to that 
of a principal organ of the UN within a number of years. 
   In reality, to make the HRC the status of a principal 
organ is a difficult task, especially since it would require 
an amendment to the Charter.  We therefore believe that the 
Council should be established as a subsidiary organ of the GA 
on a temporary basis. 
 
-- Developing into a standing body would entail regular 
sessions and special sessions convened by multi-triggers 
(Secretary General, High Commissioner for Human Rights, HRC 
President or members of HRC). 
 
Mandate and Functions 
-- Enhancing the HRC's efficiency and performance in such 
ways as: strengthening and promoting human rights protection 
through a "periodic review;" retaining the authority to take 
immediate steps when a case of the violation of human rights 
arises; reserving the right to make recommendations to the 
GA, the Security Council and ECOSOC; and maintaining a 
somewhat higher standing in relation to other human rights 
organizations, etc. 
 
Size, Composition and Membership 
-- Smaller than the existing Commission on Human Rights (53 
member states). 
-- The principle of equitable geographical distribution 
maintained: an increase in the ratio of Asian countries in 
comparison to the existing Commission. 
-- Membership of the HRC: in principle, all member states 
would be qualified to "serve in the HRC"; appropriate 
contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights 
(such as taking initiatives to improve the human rights 
situation in one's own country) would be a precondition. 
-- Election of the Members of HRC: Members shall be elected 
directly by the GA by a two-thirds majority without any 
possibility of intervention by a Regional Group. 
-- Terms of Membership/Reelection: A reelectable term of 
three years. 
-- Fist members of the HRC shall be elected newly regardless 
of existing members of the Commission on Human Rights. 
 
Rules of Procedure and Working Methods 
-- Rules of Procedure: the HRC would adopt its own rules of 
procedure, although it can apply the rules of procedure of 
the subsidiary organs of the GA when necessary; participation 
of NGOs would be allowed. 
-- Working Methods: the HRC would adopt its own Working 
Methods. 
 
Transitional Arrangements 
-- The timing for the election and first meeting will be 
determined during the forthcoming negotiation session. 
VERSHBOW