N. Korea, China have no respect for human rights: Pompeo

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Countries like North Korea and China have no respect for human rights and oppose other universal values such as democracy, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday.

"Governments like those in China, Iran, North Korea, they don't have the respect for the universal dignity of every human being in the way that America does," the top U.S. diplomat said in a speech at Washington-based Voice of America (VOA).

"Indeed, that is what America was founded upon. Those regimes are anathema to everything that our nation stands for," he added.

Pompeo insisted the U.S.' job, as well as that of its state-run media such as VOA, must be to promote American values.

"There are oppressed people all over the globe who still turn to America for hope," he told the meeting.

"We, we know the government exists to serve people. They, they believe that people exist to serve government," added Pompeo, referring to the governments of China, Iran and North Korea. "And VOA's work is vital."

bdk@yna.co.kr
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