Seoul Forum spotlights roles of China, Russia in NK human rights

The inaugural Seoul Forum on North Korean Human Rights 2024 was held Thursday to illuminate egregious human rights violations in North Korea and seek ways for improvement particularly in coordination with all UN member states, including China and Russia.

The event notably coincided with the 10th anniversary of the UN Commission of Inquiry report on North Korean human rights, which highlighted the "systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations" by the North Korean regime, drawing crucial international attention.

In his welcoming remarks, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon highlighted that the forum marked the first instance of an event on North Korean human rights being organized by a local government in South Korea.

Oh highlighted escalating human rights violations against the North Korean people, which are intrinsically linked to the regime's nuclear missile provocations. These actions exacerbate food insecurity and endanger lives, illustrating that "they are two sides of the same coin."

"So the Seoul Metropolitan Government is hosting this meaningful forum to inform the public about the harsh realities of everyday life and human rights in North Korea, and to devise ways of cooperation with the international society to improve the human rights situation in North Korea," Oh told hundreds of participants at Seoul City Hall.

The forum also sought to explore avenues to enhance the resettlement of North Korean defectors in South Korean society, in the run-up to South Korea's first official celebration of July 14 as North Korean Defectors' Day, dedicated to honoring and supporting defectors who suffered human rights abuses and fled to South Korea.

"Moreover, it is imperative that we create an environment where North Korean defectors, who are the direct victims of human rights violations, can be guaranteed human rights and can be given opportunities to dream of a happier, more promising future here in Seoul, South Korea," Oh said.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon denounced the Kim Jong-un regime for intensifying crackdowns on the populace through various means, including the implementation of domestic laws such as the Law on Rejecting Reactionary Ideology and Culture.

"Attempting to control people's speech and actions through law and to regulate culture and ideology may work temporarily, but it can never be sustained," Ban said in his congratulatory speech. "This strongly indicates that the North Korean regime's brutal rule is failing."

Panelists emphasized that improving the human rights situation requires cooperation among UN member states, including China and Russia, during the first session titled "North Korean Human Rights Status and International Cooperation Strategies."

James Heenan, the representative of the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul, said, "Let me start with the basic point that human rights are all about cooperation. Member states are sovereign, but what happens within a member state in terms of human rights is the business of all of us."

Heenan called for "countries that have influence over the DPRK, countries that have leverage in Pyongyang" to take action, despite "widely varying views" on how to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

"Experience shows that hearing difficult human rights messages from friends can be a more effective lever for change."

Echoing the sentiment, Julie Turner, the US special envoy on North Korean human rights issues, underscored, "About international cooperation, I think that Russia and China clearly have an important role in addressing the pressure on North Korea."

Turner also highlighted that "the US continues to call on all countries, including the People's Republic of China and Russia, to abide by their nonrefoulment obligations," emphasizing that no North Korean refugee should be forcibly returned to a country where they would face torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Elizabeth Salmon, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, underscored the necessity to "build some bridges to talk together about the matter" at the UN Security Council.

Salmon observed the challenging process stemming from "two critical positions" within the Security Council, referring to China and Russia serving as veto-wielding permanent members, during the UNSC's public meeting on the matter this June.

Salmon also pointed out the importance of thoroughly documenting human rights abuses, holding perpetrators accountable and bringing such cases to the International Criminal Court.

The second session, “Journey to Freedom: Going Together With North Korean Defectors,” focused on in-depth discussions regarding support measures for the resettlement of North Korean defectors in South Korea and abroad.

"Please continue to pay attention to North Korean defectors who have been forcibly repatriated and women defectors who have been trafficked within China, and join us in raising your voices for them," said Kim Il-hyeok, a North Korean defector and human rights activist who testified about egregious human rights violations in North Korea at the UN.