North Korean Human Rights Violations Discussed at UN General Assembly: "Forced Labor May Constitute Crimes Against Humanity"

The issue of North Korea's human rights violations was discussed at the General Assembly, which was attended by 193 UN member states. For the first time in over 20 years since the adoption of the North Korean human rights resolution at the UN General Assembly, this issue was addressed at a high-level meeting, with two North Korean defectors directly attending to provide vivid testimony on the realities of human rights abuses in North Korea.

On the 20th (local time), Ambassador Hwang Junguk, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, spoke at the 79th UN General Assembly High-Level Plenary Meeting on North Korean Human Rights held in New York. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

On the 21st, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had participated in the 79th UN General Assembly High-Level Plenary Meeting on North Korean Human Rights, which was held the previous day (local time) in New York. This was in accordance with the North Korean human rights resolution, adopted in December last year, which called for the convening of a high-level plenary meeting to address testimony regarding North Korea's human rights violations.

Hwang Junguk, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who attended as the chief representative of South Korea, pointed out the worsening human rights situation in North Korea, citing "forced labor conditions that may constitute crimes against humanity akin to slavery, intensified surveillance, border controls, and restrictions on freedom of expression." He also called for the immediate resolution of the issues of abductees, detainees, and South Korean prisoners of war, and urged the prompt release of South Korean missionaries Kim Jungwook, Kim Kukki, and Choi Chun-gil, who are detained in North Korea.

Ambassador Hwang also expressed concern over the inhumane treatment of repatriated defectors and urged all UN member states to adhere to the principle of non-refoulement. He further emphasized that "the North Korean human rights issue is closely linked to North Korea's nuclear weapons development," and stated that "weapons manufactured at the expense of the suffering of the North Korean people are prolonging the war in Ukraine, while North Korea's ongoing nuclear missile program threatens the global non-proliferation regime and international peace and security."

At the meeting, North Korean defectors Kim Eunju and Kang Gyuri attended in person to testify about the realities of human rights abuses in North Korea. Many participating countries at the UN General Assembly expressed concern over military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and called for efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Our government will continue to make multifaceted efforts to ensure that meaningful discussions on the grave human rights situation in North Korea continue in various forums, including the United Nations."