US rights activist wins Seoul Peace Prize

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2008

SEOUL (AFP) — A US activist has won the Seoul Peace Prize for her campaigns to improve the human rights of North Koreans and of Sahrawi refugees from Western Sahara, the award's committee announced Wednesday.

Suzanne Scholte, president of the Defense Forum Foundation, was selected as the ninth winner of the biennial prize worth 200,000 dollars.

"At a time when countries are purposely neglecting human rights conditions in North Korea for their political interests, Ms Scholte has taken the lead in raising awareness of the miserable plight of North Korean refugees," the committee said in a statement.

"It is a great honour to receive this great prize, even when I just did what I should do," it quoted her as saying.

The committee said her efforts led in...