NHRCK and MEP Anna Rosbach of the European Parliament
Co-organized an International Conference on North Korean Human Rights
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) held an international conference on North Korean human rights with MEP Anna Rosbach, Vice-Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Korean Peninsula on July 13, 2011in the European Parliament in Brussels.
The NHRCK has annually organized international conferences on North Korean human rights since 2004. This year’s conference was co-organized with the European Parliament which has been playing significant roles in UN bodies and the broader international society concerning human rights issues in North Korea. The agenda of the conference, to which renowned European experts on North Korean human rights were invited, included effective responses of the international community and potential collaboration to improve human rights of North Koreans.
The debate brought together Mr. Hyun, Chairperson of the NHRCK, members of the European Parliament, officials from the European Commission, Brussels-based human rights NGOs, and North Korean defectors.
Experts on the North Korean human rights issue and North Korean defectors gave insightful speeches and testimonies into the human rights situation in North Koreafollowed by opening speeches of Mr. Hyun, Chairperson of the NHRCK, MEP Miroslav Mikolasil and MEP Roger Helmer. The following is the list of speeches:
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Tackling Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea: The International Community’s Responsibility to Act By Benedict Rogers (Christian Solidarity Worldwide)
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Efficiency of Sanctions Policy regarding Human Rights Issue in North KoreaBy Willy Fautré (Human Rights Without Frontiers)
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The Human Rights Issue of Separated Families in the KoreanPeninsulaBy Woo Yeol Lee (Korean Assembly for Reunionof Ten-million Separated Families)
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The Role of the National Human Rights Institution and Possible International Collaboration to Promote Human Rights in North KoreaBy Nam-Geun Yoon (National Human Rights Commission of Korea)
The policy responses discussed at the debate will be incorporated in future human rights policy development of the NHRCK. In addition, during his visit to Europe, Chairperson of the NHRCK met with the President of the International Criminal Court, Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, members of the European Parliament and officials from the European Commission to discuss multilateral cooperation to improve North Korean human rights.
