The National Human Rights Commission of Korea truly welcomes opening of the UN Seoul Office on North Korean Human Rights on 23 of June. The NHRCK is pleased to see opening of the Seoul Office, which is the result of close cooperation between the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Korean government since the decision to establish the office was made at the UN Human Rights Council march 2014,
The Seoul Office is an official UN body which is mandated to observe and record human rights situation in North Korea and to cooperate with government and private sector both home and abroad. Establishment of the Seoul Office shows great attention and concern that the international community pays on North Korean human rights to the Korean society. The NHRCK expects that activities of the Office will gather together efforts for improvement of North Korean human rights to bring about practical progress.
In particular, since the Office is located in Seoul, Korea, where the language used is same with that in North Korea, the UN and the international community will be able to collect more information and testimony on North Korean human rights issues, based on which detailed analysis and improvement measures can be brought about.
The Seoul Office and the NHRCK have the same goal of promotion and protection of human rights. The NHRCK expects to maintain cooperative relation with the Seoul Office which will be mutual beneficial.
The NHRCK truly welcomes opening of the Seoul Office and will spare no effort to support activities of the Office. The NHRCK wished that the Korean government also actively support activities of the Office, which is an international institution established to improve human rights of Koreans.
23 June 2015
Hyun Byung-chul
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission of Korea
