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기사입력 : 2025.05.24 09:44
On May 20, the South Korean government
participated in the High-Level Meeting on the Human Rights Situation in the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), convened in New York by the
President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly.
This landmark meeting, the first at the
General Assembly, was held in accordance with the DPRK human rights resolution
unanimously adopted during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in
December 2024. It provided a critical platform for in-depth discussion on the
grave human rights situation in North Korea and marked a significant step in
elevating the issue within one of the UN’s principal organs, which comprises
all member states. The meeting followed previous discussions at the UN Security
Council and the Human Rights Council, but its occurrence at the General
Assembly further underscored the international community’s growing concern and
commitment to addressing systemic rights violations in the DPRK.
South Korea’s Permanent Representative to the
United Nations, Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook, led the Korean delegation and
underscored the historic nature of the meeting, occurring two decades after the
initial adoption of the resolution addressing North Korean human rights. In his
remarks, Ambassador Hwang highlighted worsening human rights conditions in the
North, including reports of forced labor, which may constitute crimes against
humanity, as well as intensified state surveillance, increased border control,
and severe restrictions on freedom of __EXPRESSION__.
Moreover, he called for the urgent resolution
of issues related to abductees, detainees, and South Korean prisoners of war.
He specifically demanded the prompt release of South Korean missionaries Kim
Jung-wook, Kim Kuk-ki, and Choe Chun-gil, who remain detained in North Korea.
Expressing grave concern over the inhumane treatment of North Korean defectors
facing forced repatriation, he urged all UN member states to uphold the
principle of non-refoulement—the international legal norm prohibiting the
return of individuals to countries where they may face persecution.
On the sidelines of the high-level meeting,
the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the UN co-hosted a reception
with the Global Coalition for the Human Rights of North Koreans. Held on the
afternoon of May 20, the event brought together UN member states and civil
society organizations to raise awareness, strengthen partnerships, and showcase
the work of civil society groups committed to improving human rights in North
Korea.The South Korean government reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing a
multi-faceted approach to ensuring that meaningful dialogue and action on North
Korea’s human rights situation continue on various international platforms,
including the United Nations.
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