Ahead of a planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump's focus has been on stagecraft and prospects for a legacy-defining nuclear deal.
The human rights woes of North Koreans have been more of an afterthought. White House officials say the plight of North Korean people, who live under one of the world's most repressive governments, is not currently a priority for the summit.
Trump is facing calls from Capitol Hill to not ignore Kim's human rights record during the potential sit-down. Failure to address those concerns could hamstring the congressional approvals likely required for any agreement with Kim.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers Wednesday that he has raised the issue of human rights with Kim "and it will be part of the discussions.
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