Park Ji-won: "Only 3 Cases of 'Human Rights Violations' at North Korean Defector Protection Center... Apologize for Past Incidents"

Park Ji-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service, is explaining the facility status to reporters at the North Korean Defectors Protection Center's investigation room on the 23rd. / Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Park Ji-won, the Director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), apologized for the human rights violations against North Korean defectors that occurred in the North Korean Defector Protection Center (hereafter Protection Center). However, he stated that there have been no confirmed cases of human rights violations since 2014 and that thorough efforts are being made to protect human rights.

On the morning of the 23rd, Director Park held a luncheon with reporters at the Protection Center and said, "Among the approximately 7,600 people investigated at the Protection Center from 2014 to this year, there has not been a single confirmed case of human rights violations, including claims of human rights infringements."

He emphasized that the ongoing lawsuits against the Protection Center?▲ Mr. Yoo’s claim for state compensation ▲ criminal lawsuits against investigators related to Mr. Yoo ▲ and the state compensation lawsuit filed by Mr. Ji and his wife?all concern incidents that occurred in 2013. Nevertheless, he apologized, saying, "Just because these are past events does not mean the NIS has no responsibility now."

Director Park also stressed the role of the Protection Center, stating, "Until the special situation of division is resolved, investigations and verifications of defectors are unavoidable," and added, "If there are spies, the NIS’s role is to catch them."

In response to reporters’ questions about whether strengthening human rights protections at the Protection Center makes it more difficult to detect spies, he said, "The NIS is scientifically responding well by utilizing its own database (DB) and various information it holds and secures," and added, "Also, investigations and inquiries are separated, and if suspicious points are found during the inquiry process, the case is referred to investigative agencies."

Meanwhile, a NIS official stated on the same day regarding the recent movement to abolish the National Security Act, "The NIS’s position is not abolition but preservation and revision of the National Security Act."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.