[International Dialog on North Korean Human Rights] Discussing North Korean human rights with the world ①.
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■ Hoping for a warm spring to come for North Koreans living in the cold reality,
Hello, this is Kang Young-hwan, a reporter for the Ministry of Unification. On December 18, the last of 2023, the ‘2023 North Korean Human Rights International Dialogue’ event was held at the Korea Federation of Industries building in Yeouido. This event was divided into two sessions, focusing on the human rights of North Koreans and the human rights of North Korean defectors abroad. It was even more interesting to look at the human rights issues of North Koreans from the new perspective of international experts, not just the perspective of domestic experts. In this article, I will introduce the content related to the first session of the 2023 North Korean Human Rights International Dialogue, ’75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Global Reexamination of North Korean Human Rights and Democracy’.
△ ‘2023 North Korean Human Rights International Dialogue’ event brochure and the start of the event (ⓒ Reporter Kang Young-hwan)
■ The first session, ’75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Global Reexamination of North Korean Human Rights and Democracy’, began with congratulations from various figures!
The ‘2023 North Korean Human Rights International Dialogue’ event began with the opening speech of Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho. Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho mentioned that the violation of human rights against North Koreans is ongoing, and it is necessary to stop this by the solidarity of the international community. Then, the welcoming speech of Chairman Lee Jung-hoon of the North Korean Human Rights Promotion Committee and the congratulatory speech of David Alton, a member of the British House of Lords, and Ambassador Lee Shin-hwa for International Cooperation on North Korean Human Rights followed.
△ Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho reading the opening speech (ⓒ Reporter Kang Young-hwan)
△From left, Professor Song Sang-hyun, Ambassador Lee Shin-hwa, Ambassador Colin Crooks, Ambassador Georg Schmidt (ⓒ Reporter Kang Young-hwan)
■ Session 1_ Song Sang-hyun “International Legal Attempts Necessary for North Korean Human Rights”
Professor Song Sang-hyun argued the need for international legal attempts for the promotion of North Korean human rights, along with his episode when he served as the former president of the International Criminal Court.
Episode: The occurrence of North Korea’s Cheonan ship incident and Yeonpyeong Island shelling incident -> Preliminary investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor in December 2010 -> Initially, positive related investigation was conducted with the outgoing prosecutor who was interested in North Korean issues -> Kim Jong-il’s death in 2012 and the assumption of the successor prosecutor who did not know much about North Korean issues -> Termination of related investigations
Professor Song Sang-hyun regretted that the investigation at that time ended inadequately, and talked about who should be the subject of the ICC lawsuit from a judicial perspective. It is meaningful for a state to step forward, not a Korean NGO, or to persuade the UN permanent members to sue the ICC by the UN Security Council.
Therefore, Professor Song Sang-hyun said, “The International Criminal Court (ICC)” needs international discussions on how to limit the authority of the North Korean government for the protection of the human rights of North Koreans.
△ The first panel preparing for the speech, Professor Song Sang-hyun (first from the left) (ⓒ Reporter Kang Young-hwan)
■ Session 1_ Larry Diamond “The Need for Documenting and Civic Education for North Korean Human Rights”
Professor Larry Diamond mentioned the importance of ‘documenting’ and ‘civic education’ in relation to the human rights of North Koreans.
<문서 기록화>
Information collection through various routes is important
ex) New technologies such as satellite photos, vivid testimonies from defectors, etc.
What is the purpose of documenting?
Because the memory of the international community is short – therefore, it is necessary to continuously inform civil society and the younger generation about related incidents and assign responsibility for this.
<시민 교육>
