Through taxes, financial sanctions, and military partnerships, the US is making more and more of its military and economic countermeasures against North Korea and China. However, one essential strategy remains ignored – individual rights. Not just a moral imperative, it is also necessary to address human rights violations as risks to national security. It is a proper necessity that enhances alliances, destabilizes authoritarian regimes, and promotes global stability.
According to former US Vice President Mike Pence,” a nation that oppresses its own citizens seldom stops there.” Oftentimes, human rights violations fall under the umbrella of philanthropic and intellectual issues rather than pressing issues of national security. In truth, they are interrelated.
The US has long acknowledged that systems that violate human rights frequently repress their anger abroad. This tenet served as the foundation for the United States ‘ desire for Japan’s unconditional surrender during World War II, enabling a rebuilding of the country’s political system to stop future physical brutality.
How human rights violations become threats to safety
When the right of an entity or a small party are violated, it is a human rights violation. When a whole country’s rights are violated, it becomes a threat to national security. The crucial difference is the size of the infraction.
Human rights abuses usually start on a smaller scale but, when organized, escalate into federal security threats. A state that defies the rights of its own citizens is unlikely to honor those of other countries. Treating human rights as a secondary problem ignores how they directly affect international stability and security.
Totalitarian governments ‘ weaknesses
Totalitarian systems, or “fear cultures”, maintain authority by instilling anxiety and isolating their people. However, history demonstrates that when people realize they have worldwide support and a place to hide, their power weakens.
The Jackson-Vanik Amendment of 1974, which tied US trade ties with the Soviet Union to immigration right, was one of the most successful tactics against authoritarian regimes. This strategy weakened Russian power and led to the USSR’s eventual demise.
In Korea, contemporary cases are also present. South Korean President Park Geun-hye made a direct appeal to North Koreans in 2016 asking them to” travel to the breast of freedom in South Korea.” A number of North Koreans eluded North Korea and sought independence in South Korea as a result. Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, publicly pledged in 2024 to never send dissenters back to North Korea, strengthening the notion that South Korea is a haven for those who are fleeing oppression.
Retaliation against individual rights campaigning
North Korea retaliated by ordering its supporters in South Korea to reduce Park’s and Yoon’s governments after acknowledging the existential threat posed by people right campaigning.
Communist politicians with a majority in the National Assembly attempted to sue Yoon for election fraud, punish Chinese spies under the Espionage Act, and obstruct him in his efforts to strengthen relationships with the US and Japan.
They slashed state expenses and impeached 29 important officials. Yoon’s management was left with a non-functioning state. Given these difficulties, President Yoon was left with the option to impose martial law as a last resort.
Strategic advantages of individual rights advocacy
Addressing human rights issues provides important benefits.
Second, it offers general validity. Making animal rights advocacy a rare bipartisan issue, yet leftists struggle to defend it.
Next, it strengthens US-Japan-ROK assistance through common earth. While South Korea’s devotion to the US-ROK empire is strong, its connection with Japan remains unstable. Socialists in South Korea often make use of past conflicts to thwart participation.
However, placing North Korea’s human rights violations as a shared problem offers an opportunity to improve relationships without giving adversaries a pretext to stoke section.
Human rights politics in motion
Between 2017 and 2021, I attended Chinese government-hosted events advocating for the release of Chinese captives held by North Korea. Although these occasions were planned by Japan, Otto Warmbier‘s home was generally present, demonstrating cooperation between the US and Japan while putting pressure on North Korea.
The North Korean Ministry of Unification has also been addressing the violence of both South Korean and Japanese people by North Korea. The ministry’s complete section addresses Chinese citizens who have been abducted by North Korea, which demonstrates its handle to address this issue.
Both Korean and Japanese nationals who have been abducted by North Korea are addressed by the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul ( in English ). Multilateral efforts may be significantly strengthened by a coordinated strategy between the US, Japan, and South Korea.
expanding multilateral cooperation between China and North Korea
The next step should be to address human rights abuses in China now that US-Japan-South Korea have successfully collaborated to address human rights violations committed by North Korea. While strong apologies and escape routes are effective for North Korea, China’s methods for China must concentrate on strengthening civil world efforts, political force, and economic measures.
Human rights campaigning is not just a social responsibility, it is a proper imperative. We may:: acquiesce to human rights violations as threats to national security by:
- Strengthen partnerships with authoritarian regimes
- Improve the diplomatic presence in Northeast Asia
- undermine the legitimacy of China and North Korea
Animal rights may no longer be viewed as a secondary issue in international relations. Instead, they should be key to global surveillance method. Addressing human rights abuses is not just about morality—it is about ensuring long-term political security.
Hanjin Lew  is a former foreign spokesman for North Korean traditional parties and a political commentator with an emphasis on East Asian matters.