Statement by the Chairperson of the NHRCK on the seventh anniversary of the enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act
- Calling on the Chairperson of the National Assembly to Promptly Nominate the Director of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation-
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (Chairperson Doohwan Song, ‘NHRCK') urges the Chairperson of the National Assembly to nominate the Director of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation as soon as possible.
The NHRCK has previously made recommendations, opinions, and statements to the Chairperson of the National Assembly calling for the legislation of the North Korean Human Rights Act, which was established on 3 March 2016 and has been in force since 4 September 2016.
Article 10 of the North Korean Human Rights Act stipulates the establishment of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, which is an organisation that conducts research and policy development related to the promotion of human rights in North Korea, including surveys, inter-Korean human rights dialogue, and humanitarian assistance, which is one of the core implementation systems of the North Korean Human Rights Act.
※ Procedure for appointment of directors of the DPRK Human Rights Foundation
① Negotiating body of the political party to which the President currently belongs or formerly belonged, and the other negotiating bodies, nominate 5 directors each -> Chairman of National Assembly recommends the nominees to Ministry of Unification with National Assembly’s shares (total of 10)
② Ministry of Unification nominates 2 directors
③ The Minster of Unification Appoints recommended nominees form stage ① and ②. (Total 12)
The human rights situation in North Korea is reported to be very serious, with the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and lack of medical capacity, natural disasters, and border closures, international sanctions imposed due to repeated nuclear tests and missile launches, the right to life of North Korean people is severely threatened .
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement on 27 July 1953, the 20th anniversary of the UN Human Rights Council's first resolution condemning the human rights situation in North Korea in 2003, and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea in 2013.
In its 2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, the U.S. State Department highlighted the South Korean government's delay in establishing the North Korean Human Rights Foundation. Also the international community, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Democrtic People’s Republic of Korea, has repeatedly called for the practical implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act, including the establishment of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation.
Nonpartisan cooperation in the National Assembly, the representative body of the people, will enable the implementation of stable and predictable North Korean human rights policies and strengthen coordination and cooperation with the international community when the powers and roles of the National Assembly as stipulated in the North Korean Human Rights Act are fulfilled.
The NHRCK hopes that the National Assembly will soon complete the nomination of the Director of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, so that a foundation can be laid for the normal implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act.
The NHRCK also expects that the National Assembly will soon nominate the members of the Advisory Committee for the Promotion of Human Rights in North Korea, which is required to be nominated by the National Assembly under Article 5, paragraph 2 of the North Korean Human Rights Act, so that the Third Basic Plan for the Promotion of Human Rights in North Korea (2023-2025) can be established.
