On October 10, 2024, at the Korea Press Center, NKDB’s North Korean Human Rights Archives hosted a special seminar to mark the release of the 2024 White Paper on North Korean Human Rights. This publication, last released in 2020, has returned after a four-year hiatus due to restrictions on investigations imposed by the government. Following the resumption of investigative activities in 2023, the White Paper is now back with valuable insights into the current state of human rights in North Korea.
Since its inaugural release in 2007, the White Paper has been a crucial resource, documenting the reality of human rights in North Korea. NKDB emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and civil society, underscoring that the renewed efforts in human rights investigations represent a hopeful step toward human rights improvements in North Korea.
The 2024 White Paper covers data collected from 2002 to February 2024, categorizing and analyzing human rights conditions by types of rights and time periods. This year’s edition also introduces a restructured format, with testimonies now grouped in a separate compendium of case studies, along with three thematic reports:
- The Inflow of External Information in North Korea and Potential Solutions
- Rule of Law or Rule by Law? Analyzing North Korean Law and Human Rights Records in Preparation for the Fourth Universal Periodic Review
- Mechanisms of Control by North Korean Authorities
At the launch event, key presentations were delivered by NKDB’s Head of Human Rights Division, Dr. Soon-hee Lim, along with human rights analysts Seo-young Moon and Dong-hwi Shin. Following the presentations, a panel discussion on the future and challenges of North Korean human rights took place, featuring Suyoung Yang, NKDB Researcher; Imsuk Ha, Human Rights Officer at the UN Seoul Office; Suyeon Yoo, Co-Director of Korea Future; and Eun-joo Kim, Commissioner at the Ministry of Unification's North Korean Human Rights Promotion Committee.
To commemorate this important milestone, Special Rapporteurs Elizabeth Salmón, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, and Bernard Duhaime, UN Special Rapporteur on truth, justice, and reparation, conveyed their congratulatory messages via video, celebrating the relaunch of the White Paper and highlighting the significance of ongoing efforts to improve human rights conditions in North Korea.
On October 10, 2024, at the Korea Press Center, NKDB’s North Korean Human Rights Archives hosted a special seminar to mark the release of the 2024 White Paper on North Korean Human Rights. This publication, last released in 2020, has returned after a four-year hiatus due to restrictions on investigations imposed by the government. Following the resumption of investigative activities in 2023, the White Paper is now back with valuable insights into the current state of human rights in North Korea.
Since its inaugural release in 2007, the White Paper has been a crucial resource, documenting the reality of human rights in North Korea. NKDB emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and civil society, underscoring that the renewed efforts in human rights investigations represent a hopeful step toward human rights improvements in North Korea.
The 2024 White Paper covers data collected from 2002 to February 2024, categorizing and analyzing human rights conditions by types of rights and time periods. This year’s edition also introduces a restructured format, with testimonies now grouped in a separate compendium of case studies, along with three thematic reports:
At the launch event, key presentations were delivered by NKDB’s Head of Human Rights Division, Dr. Soon-hee Lim, along with human rights analysts Seo-young Moon and Dong-hwi Shin. Following the presentations, a panel discussion on the future and challenges of North Korean human rights took place, featuring Suyoung Yang, NKDB Researcher; Imsuk Ha, Human Rights Officer at the UN Seoul Office; Suyeon Yoo, Co-Director of Korea Future; and Eun-joo Kim, Commissioner at the Ministry of Unification's North Korean Human Rights Promotion Committee.
To commemorate this important milestone, Special Rapporteurs Elizabeth Salmón, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, and Bernard Duhaime, UN Special Rapporteur on truth, justice, and reparation, conveyed their congratulatory messages via video, celebrating the relaunch of the White Paper and highlighting the significance of ongoing efforts to improve human rights conditions in North Korea.