South Korea's presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, has recently launched a task force to investigate dire human rights conditions in North Korea.

A local daily has reported the team is made up of officials from the presidential secretariat and the National Security Council (NSC).

They have held a meeting every week since early June to discuss the North's human rights issues based on materials the NSC and other organizations specializing in North Korea have gathered.

According to the daily, the team is also collecting opinions from experts on North Korea and civic organizations that are strongly urging the government to make an active effort to improve the gruesome human rights conditions in the country known for oppressing its citizens.

The paper reported that, based on the outcome of its information-gathering efforts, the task force is expected to present a report to President Roh Moo-hyun in the near future.