Published on: 2026-05-14
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) continues to document “systematic and gross human rights violations” in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), some of which “may amount to crimes against humanity.” This was stated by the UN chief human rights defender Volker Türk, speaking to journalists in Seoul.
Summing up the results of the visit to the Republic of Korea, Türke emphasized that the situation in North Korea requires a more decisive reaction from the international community.
“The KND is counting on the world’s attention shifting to other events, and the silence becoming permanent,” quoted the UN commissioner the words of one of the human rights activists he met in Seoul.
Family stories divided by the border
During the visit, the UN Commissioner met with defectors from the DPR and relatives of people who had remained on the other side of the border.
“I have heard the story of a mother who had not seen her children for more than ten years. Stories of families who cannot get information about the fate of their loved ones,” he told journalists. Tyork also mentioned a man who is worried about his mother, who ran away with him from North Korea and was then sold in China as a “bride” and is at risk of being violently returned back.
According to the military commissar, many defectors try to start a new life in South Korea, but continue to live “with daily anxiety and fear for their relatives in the DPRK”.
The UN chief human rights defender welcomed the upcoming visit of the women’s football team from the DPRK to South Korea, calling it a “hopeful” signal.
He called for urgent steps to restore humanitarian contacts between the two countries, including the exchange of letters, the resumption of communication and meetings of separated family members, as well as the provision of information about the fate of missing and sought-after people.
“Human rights are not an ideology”
Türk emphasized that human rights issues should not become an object of geopolitical confrontation.
“Human rights are not an ideology. They do not belong to any political party,” he said. “Human rights should never become hostages of party politics or geopolitics — above all, it is about people.”
The military commissioner expressed particular concern that the NMD prioritizes security and military issues to the detriment of social services and sustainable development. He once again called for accountability for serious human rights violations, including the possibility of referring the situation to the International Criminal Court.
South Korea as an “important partner”
Separately, Türk highly appreciated the role of the Republic of Korea as a UN partner in the field of human rights.
He noted that the political crisis of December 2024 became a “serious test for democracy” in the country, but South Korean institutions and civil society were able to defend the supremacy of law and human rights.
At the same time, the High Commissioner pointed to persistent problems within the country, including the absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, the gender pay gap, cases of violence against women, and insufficient protection of migrant workers.
During the visit, Türk also discussed issues of artificial intelligence and digital technologies with government and business representatives. According to him, human rights should be the foundation for the development and regulation of new technologies.
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