2008.10.29-30
The NHRCK held the ‘2008 International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights’ on October 29 and 30 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in order to promote comprehensive understanding of the effects of political changes in the international community and on the Korean peninsula in the policies of North Korean human rights and examine the current situation of human rights in North Korea.
Under the main theme of the ‘International Perspectives and Challenges Concerning North Korean Human Rights,’ this year’s International Symposium on North Korean Human Rights is divided into the following sub-topics: 1) North Korean human rights policies of the related countries; 2) Changes in inter-Korean relations and North Korean human rights; 3) Improvement measures in civil liberties and social rights in North Korea; 4) Human rights of North Korean women, especially defector and saeteomin women; and 5) Human rights of North Korean defectors residing in China, Korean War abductees, and saeteomin children. Furthermore, in-depth understanding of the prospects of North Korean human rights, inter-Korean relations, and the involvement of northeast Asian countries were promoted through comprehensive discussion.
The theme of this year’s symposium will include: updating the major issues related to the North Korean human rights and providing important guidelines for understanding the major changes in the field. In order to accomplish these goals, the symposium will serve as a venue and setting for the exchange of various perspectives and perceptions of international and domestic experts, including NGOs, international organizations and individual countries.
In his keynote speech, Vitit Muntarbhorn (UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Thailand) examined the North Korean situation particularly from the following perspectives: Human Rights and Development Process: the Inequity Factor; Access to Food and Other Necessities: the Disparity Factor; Rights and Freedoms: the Insecurity Factor; Displacement and Asylum: the Immobility Factor; Groups of Special Concern: the Inequality Factor; Consequences of Violence and Violations: the Impunity Factor. He also suggested some short-term and long-term recommendations to North Korea such as effective provision of and access to food and other basic necessities for the people of the country, and constructive cooperation with UN agencies and other humanitarian actors on the issue, end of punishment of asylum-seekers returned from abroad, more equitable development process in the country and addressing the violence and violations which have given rise to the impunity factor, and ensuring that those who should be accountable are brought to justice.
The results of the discussion held at this year’s international human rights symposium were considered to be an opportunity to increase policy-related efforts for the improvement of North Korean human rights while strengthening the network of international cooperation in addressing the issue of North Korean human rights.
