[Forced Disappearances in North Korea] Joint Statement and Human Rights Advocacy Activities Concerning South Korean POWs, Abductees, and Detained Persons
The Citizens' Coalition for North Korean Human Rights continues to speak out for resolution and justice for the victims of the numerous forced disappearances perpetrated by North Korea.
During the reporting period, the North Korean Human Rights Citizens' Coalition participated in two joint civil society human rights advocacy activities focused on the issue of South Korean POWs, abductees, and detainees held in North Korea. These efforts aimed to strengthen international engagement on North Korean human rights through a coordinated message at the United Nations (UN).
On February 13, 2025, the North Korean Human Rights Citizens' Coalition joined a joint statement urging the prompt appointment of an International Cooperation Ambassador for North Korean Human Rights in the Republic of Korea. The statement also called for the immediate and unconditional release of missionaries Kim Jeong-wook, Kim Guk-gi, and Choi Chun-gil, arbitrarily detained by North Korean authorities. These demands were raised ahead of the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council and the subsequent adoption of a resolution on the North Korean human rights situation.
Subsequently, on March 14, 2025, the Citizens' Coalition for North Korean Human Rights supported a joint statement asserting that key elements of UN General Assembly Resolution 79/181, adopted on December 17, 2024, should be reflected in the draft resolution on North Korean human rights under discussion at the 58th UN Human Rights Council session. The statement emphasized the importance of maintaining policy consistency among UN bodies in responding to North Korea's grave and persistent human rights violations.