Press Release:  Implement the North Korean Human Rights Act, Delayed 7 Years by the Democratic Party of Korea

2023-3-2, Press Release Statement by North Korea Human Rights [Non-profit] Corporation and 82 other human rights organizations

The Democratic Party of Korea (Deobureo Minju Party) should immediately implement the North Korean Human Rights Act, which has been delayed for 7 years!

March 3 is the anniversary of the North Korean Human Rights Act ,enacted seven years ago in 2016 after 11 years of controversy.  When the Act passed, the suffering North Koreans were filled with hope. However, the law has been hamstrung for a long time and the citizens are in despair. This is because the Democratic Party of Korea has continuously delayed nominating its share of directors for the North Korean Human Rights Foundation [needed to implement the law].

Although this year marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, North Korea has been committing systematic, widespread, and grave human rights violations. The United Nations General Assembly has condemned North Korea’s human rights violations in the strongest tone for 18 consecutive years.  The UN COI, established 10 years ago, produced a report recommending accountability for crimes against humanity by referral [of the North Korean regime] to the International Criminal Court.  The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in North Korea has also urged the establishment of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation according to the North Korean Human Rights Act of Korea.

In South Korea, since October 14, 2014, patriotic citizens and organizations, including the defectors from North Korea, have held weekly “Tuesday Rallies” to urge the enactment and normal execution of the North Korean Human Rights Act.  On August 16, 2022, they established the North Korean Human Rights [Non-profit] Corporation and urged all members of the National Assembly belonging to the Democratic Party to nominate directors for the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, but the response has been silence.

On March 2, 2016, the North Korean Human Rights Act passed.  Of 236 lawmakers present at the National Assembly 212 voted for the Act, while 24 abstained.  Despite the North Korean Human Rights Act, which was passed without a single objection, the Democratic Party’s failure to implement the law for seven years is inexcusable.

Thus, 82 human rights organizations, including the North Korean Human Rights [Non-profit] Corporation and Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification (HanByun), held the 200th weekly ‘Tuesday Rally’ in front of the Democratic Party building at 11:00 on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, and delivered the following letter of protest to the Democratic Party of Korea.

– The Democratic Party of Korea should immediately nominate directors for the North Korean Human Rights Foundation in order to enforce the North Korean Human Rights Act of Korea.

– If it does not respond, we will immediately launch a campaign to urge the Democratic Party to receive a stern judgment from the people in the general election next year.

2023. 3. 2.

North Korean Human Rights Corporation, Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification (HanByun), Citizens’ Group for a Proper North Korean Human Rights Law (OrInMo), North Korean Human Rights Association, Free North Korea Radio, Citizens’ Coalition for North Korean Human Rights, High School Alumni Association for the Defenders of Nation, MulMangCho (Forget-Me-Not), Korean Retired Generals & Admirals Defending the Nation (KORGAD), General Association of the Patriots of the Republic of Korea, Alliance for the Unification of the Spirit of Koreans, Movement to Help North Koreans Directly, North Korea Strategy Center, IlpaManpa, North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, South-North Unification Party, Freedom and Alliance, and other human rights organizations (82 total)