Unification Deputy Minister: "Issues of Abductees, Detainees, and POWs Are Also North Korean Human Rights Matters"

Moon Seung-hyun "Human Rights Issues Imposed on Our Citizens by North Korean Authorities"
Ministry of Unification, North Korean Human Rights Policy Council... "State Responsibility for North Korean Human Rights"
Review of Human Rights Promotion Status... Second Meeting This Year

The government held the second 'North Korean Human Rights Policy Council' meeting this year to review the current status. In particular, Moon Seung-hyun, Vice Minister of Unification, emphasized that the human rights violations committed by the Kim Jong-un regime against North Korean residents, as well as the issues of abductees, detainees, and Korean War prisoners of war, are also 'North Korean human rights issues' inflicted by North Korean authorities on our citizens. This is interpreted as showing the policy direction of the Ministry of Unification, where 'North Korean human rights' has established itself as a new identity.

The Ministry of Unification, the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the National Security Office, the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and other related ministries held the North Korean Human Rights Policy Council at the Government Seoul Office on the 25th. This meeting was arranged to review the 2023 progress on promoting North Korean human rights, which is to be reported to the National Assembly according to Article 15 of the North Korean Human Rights Act.

Moon Seung-hyun, Deputy Minister of Unification. [Photo by Yonhap News]

Chairman Moon Seung-hyun stated, "North Korean human rights are universal human values and a practical preparation for free democratic unification, as well as a fundamental national duty," adding, "Under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, the ultimate goal of promoting North Korean human rights is to ensure that the basic rights stipulated in our constitution are realized for all residents of both South and North Korea." He continued, "It is important to ensure that our citizens accurately understand the human rights situation in North Korea and that interest and discussions on North Korean human rights become more active."

In particular, he emphasized, "The issues of separated families, abductees, detainees, and Korean War prisoners of war are also human rights issues caused by the division, inflicted by North Korean authorities on our citizens, so we must fulfill our duty to protect the safety and lives of our people and realize human rights."

Conventionally, 'North Korean human rights' has been recognized as issues of human rights violations committed by North Korean authorities against their residents. However, through his remarks on this day, Vice Minister Moon expanded the scope of North Korean human rights issues to include separated families, abductees, detainees, and Korean War prisoners of war. A senior government official explained, "There is an awareness that the victims among our citizens are also included in North Korean human rights issues, so we will correct the definition from the start," adding, "The Ministry of Unification will clearly raise its voice regarding the issue of North Korean authorities forcibly detaining our citizens and not returning them."

Moon Seung-hyun, Vice Minister of Unification, delivering a greeting at the North Korean Human Rights Policy Council.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Unification, which was criticized by President Yoon Seok-yeol as the 'North Korea Support Department' and underwent restructuring, began the legislative notice procedure for the organizational amendment bill on the 23rd. The bill includes a drastic reduction of personnel from 617 to 536, cutting 81 positions (13.1%). In particular, it newly established an 'Abductee Countermeasures Team' directly under the minister and reorganized the Situation Analysis Bureau into the Intelligence Analysis Bureau, positioning 'North Korean human rights' as a new identity. A ruling party official explained, "The agenda that unites South Korea, the U.S., and Japan is North Korean human rights," adding, "The Ministry of Unification will oversee this."

Meanwhile, the North Korean Human Rights Policy Council held its first meeting in October 2016 but was not convened for two years and three months after May 2020. It was reactivated starting in August last year following the inauguration of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

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