Head of Korean Peninsula Headquarters: "North Korean Nuclear and Human Rights Issues Must Be Approached Comprehensively"

Kim Gun Meets with Acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Kim Gun, Head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Headquarters (left), is taking a commemorative photo with Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at the OHCHR building in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 25th (local time). (Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Kim Gun, Head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Headquarters, met with Nada Al-Nashif, Acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Geneva, Switzerland on the 25th (local time) to discuss North Korea's nuclear and missile development as well as human rights issues.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 26th, Head Kim expressed regret to Acting Commissioner Al-Nashif that North Korea is strengthening social control and repression to sacrifice its economy and people's livelihood for military buildup, forceful attempts at the fourth-generation succession, and blocking the spread of South Korean culture and information within North Korea.

He also emphasized that since North Korea's nuclear and missile advancement has been carried out based on severe human rights violations, North Korean human rights issues are closely linked to security issues, and stated the need for a comprehensive approach to both the North Korean nuclear issue and human rights issues.

Head Kim mentioned the fact that three of our citizens have been detained in North Korea for ten years and explained that the international community needs to raise a unified voice to urgently resolve issues related to abductees, detainees, and prisoners of war.

Additionally, he requested the attention and support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to raise international awareness on the issue of North Korean defectors.

Acting Commissioner Al-Nashif introduced that OHCHR is making efforts to shed light on various aspects of North Korean human rights issues, including accountability and enforced disappearances, and emphasized the importance of broader outreach to regions and countries for the international publicization of North Korean human rights issues.

On the same day, Head Kim also held a roundtable for ambassador-level officials from major countries stationed in Geneva. Fourteen countries, including the United States, Japan, and Australia, participated.

Head Kim spoke about the grim reality of North Korean human rights and requested cooperation so that the need for international solidarity on North Korean human rights issues can be highlighted at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting to be held in Geneva in March.

The participants responded that North Korea's nuclear and missile development threatens the international non-proliferation regime and that they will continue to urge improvements regarding North Korean human rights by utilizing various mechanisms based in Geneva, such as the Human Rights Council.

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