SEOUL, South Korea’s human rights watchdog called Monday for the speedy designation of board members from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) to facilitate the launch of a foundation aimed at conducting research to enhance North Korean human rights.

The North Korean Human Rights Act, which came into force in 2016, stipulates the establishment of the foundation for the protection of human rights in North Korea.

Under the law, the foundation’s board of directors will consist of two members recommended by the Ministry of Unification, and five each from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the DP.

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea put forward the opinion, saying the DP has yet to recommend five board members despite continued requests by the unification ministry since 2016. The PPP recommended five officials last year.

“Without the formation of the foundation, the North Korean Human Rights Act, designed to protect and promote the human rights of North Korean citizens, becomes nullified and nominal,” the watchdog said in a statement.

It also said state institutions carry the obligation to act so as to ensure the implementation of legislation, saying their cooperation is required in order to launch the foundation.

The DP has said it is “internally discussing” the matter, according to the rights watchdog.

In Monday’s decision, the commission urged the floor leader of the DP to make the recommendations as soon as possible, and urged the national assembly speaker to facilitate the process by continuously pressing the party to do so.

North Korea’s human rights record has drawn greater international attention since the U.N. Commission of Inquiry issued a report in 2014 after a year-long probe, saying that North Korean leaders are responsible for “widespread, systematic and gross” violations of human rights.

North Korea has long been accused of grave human rights abuses, ranging from holding political prisoners in concentration camps to committing torture and carrying out public executions.

Still, many liberal South Koreans have shied away from the issue of North Korea’s human rights out of fear that it could strain inter-Korean relations.

Source: Yonhap News Agency