In Response to Criticism of 'China's Silence on Forced Repatriation'... UN Seeks Solutions

Human Rights Groups "Why Is the UN Silent on China's Forced Repatriation?"
OHCHR "Numerous Human Rights Violations... Seriously Concerned"

When our human rights organizations pointed out to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that it is "silent on China's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors" (link), the OHCHR immediately responded, expressing "serious concern about the forced repatriation of North Korean residents."

According to major foreign media including the Associated Press on the 14th, Jeremy Lawrence, OHCHR spokesperson, stated on the 11th in response to an open letter sent by our human rights organizations, "As we have publicly stated several times, we are concerned that the forced repatriation of North Korean residents exposes defectors to arbitrary detention, torture, sexual violence, and other serious human rights violations."

The Chinese Five-star Red Flag and the North Korean National Flag displayed on a street in Pyongyang [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Earlier, 12 human rights organizations including the North Korea Human Rights Citizens' Alliance (NKHR), Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), and the non-profit organization Mulmangcho sent a letter addressed to Volker T?rk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and James Heenan, head of the OHCHR Seoul office. They pointed out that the OHCHR headquarters and Seoul office have avoided provoking China by not attending related meetings and have omitted mentions of China's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors in multiple reports.

In particular, the organizations expressed concern in the letter, stating, "It is important to hold China accountable for its serious human rights violations against North Korean defectors, but we worry that the OHCHR headquarters and Seoul office are deliberately remaining silent." They urged, "Although it may not be easy to hold the world's strongest country accountable, an institution that defends human rights must end the blatant politicization of this issue."

Spokesperson Lawrence recalled OHCHR's 2020 report, which detailed statements and testimonies regarding human rights violations committed against forcibly repatriated North Korean women, and explained, "We have publicly raised these concerns on numerous occasions in reports submitted to the media, the UN General Assembly, and the UN Human Rights Council." He added, "OHCHR is conducting direct bilateral consultations with UN member states and other UN agencies to find solutions that comply with international human rights standards," emphasizing again, "This issue remains a priority for OHCHR."

A rally opposing the repatriation of North Korean defectors held in front of the Chinese Embassy.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, OHCHR was established in 1993 as a UN-affiliated organization with the purpose of "protecting and promoting human rights worldwide." The Seoul office was opened in 2015 following recommendations from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea (COI) to "investigate human rights violations in North Korea." However, in its March report this year, the office referred to China as a "neighboring country" when discussing trafficking of North Korean women, failing to properly specify responsibility.

▶The following are the 12 signatory organizations of the letter

1969 KAL Hijacking Victims' Families Association, North Korean Defectors' Association (NKD), North Korea Human Rights Citizens' Alliance (NKHR), North Korea Justice Coalition, Families of Korean War POWs, Non-profit Organization Mulmangcho, No Chain, North Korea Strategy Center (NKSC), Save NK, Stepping Stone, Think, Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG)

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