HRC/P.Sim UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. UN: Human rights violations in North Korea must not go unnoticed Human rights
The UN Office of Human Rights (OHCHR) continues to document “systematic and gross violations of human rights” in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), some of which “may amount to crimes against humanity.” Volker, the UN’s chief human rights defender, said Turk speaking to reporters in Seoul.
Summarizing the results of his visit to the Republic of Korea, Turk emphasized that the situation in North Korea requires a more decisive response from the international community.
“North Korea is counting on the world’s attention shifting to other events and the silence becoming permanent,” the High Commissioner quoted one of the human rights activists he met in Seoul as saying. defectors from the DPRK and relatives of people remaining on the other side of the border.
“I heard the story of a mother who had not seen her children for more than ten years. “Stories of families who cannot get information about the fate of their loved ones,” he told reporters. Türk also mentioned a man who worries about his mother, who fled North Korea with him and was then sold to China as a “bride” and at risk of being forcibly returned back.
According to the High Commissioner, many defectors are trying to start a new life in South Korea, but continue to live “with daily anxiety and fear for their loved ones in the DPRK.” signal.
He called for urgent steps to restore humanitarian contacts between the two countries, including the exchange of letters, the resumption of communication and meetings between members of separated families, and the provision of information about the fate of missing and abducted people.
“Rights human – not ideology”
Türk emphasized that human rights issues should not become the object of geopolitical confrontation.
“Human rights – is not an ideology. They do not belong to any political party, – he said. – Human rights should never be held hostage to party politics or geopolitics – it is about people first.” that the DPRK prioritizes security issues and military spending at the expense of social services and sustainable development. He reiterated his call for accountability for serious human rights violations, including the possibility of referring the situation to the International Criminal Court.
He noted that the political crisis of December 2024 was a “serious test for democracy” in the country, but South Korean institutions and civil society were able to protect the rule of law and human rights.
The High Commissioner, however, pointed to ongoing problems within the country, including the lack of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, the gender pay gap labor, cases of violence against women and insufficient protection of migrant workers.
During the visit, Türk also discussed artificial intelligence and digital technologies with government and business representatives. According to him, human rights should be at the core of the development and regulation of new technologies.