[PRESS RELEASE] North Korean-born Escapee Files
First Lawsuit in South Korean Court
Survivor of Torture and Sexual Violence in North Korean Detention Pursues Civil and Criminal Charges
Date of Release: Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 12:00 PM KST
For Immediate Release
sylee@nkdb.org
○ The NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support will file both a civil and a criminal complaint on behalf of Ms. Min-kyung CHOI, head of the NK Imprisonment Victims' Family Association (NKIVFA), who endured sexual violence and torture in North Korean detention facilities. The filings will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 3:00 PM at the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, respectively.
○ This marks the first time that a North Korean-born escapee has voluntarily pursued legal action in South Korean courts and prosecutors’ offices, seeking accountability for human rights violations committed by the North Korean regime. The case is expected to become a significant milestone in both the domestic restoration of victims’ rights and the international pursuit of accountability under the Act on the Punishment of Crimes under the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, which includes crimes against humanity.
○ Ms. CHOI was repatriated to North Korea in 2008 following her first defection in 1997 and her time in China. She was detained for approximately five months in various facilities, including the Onsong County State Security Department, the North Hamgyong Province Holding Center, and the Sunam District Police Office in Chongjin, where she endured inhumane treatment. During this period, she was subjected to:
- Sexual violence during the intake process at detention facilities
- Severe physical assault, including being punched and kicked in the face and lower body
- Inhumane torture, such as being forced to sit in painful stress positions, including the "pigeon" position or sitting on her knees, for more than 15 hours a day
- Forced labor, malnutrition, and denial of basic medical care
○ The 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) Report on Human Rights in the DPRK documented widespread and systematic crimes against humanity committed by the North Korean authorities. These abuses continue to this day, with many North Koreans suffering from violations of their freedoms and human rights under the regime’s oppressive rule.
○ Ms. CHOI, speaking today as the representative of the NK Imprisonment Victims' Family Association (NKIVFA), stated:“I stand here to demand that Kim Jong Un and his subordinates be held to account before the law. As a torture victim and survivor of the North Korean regime, I carry a deep and urgent responsibility to hold the Kim dynasty accountable for crimes against humanity.”
She added:“Even though 13 years have passed since I resettled in South Korea, I still suffer from severe PTSD due to the torture I endured, and I remain dependent on medication. My entire body still testifies to the horrific human rights situation in North Korea.”
Ms. Choi further appealed:“I hope this legal action sparks greater domestic and international attention to the North Korean human rights crisis. I earnestly wish for this small step to become a cornerstone for the restoration of freedom and human dignity, so that no more innocent North Koreans suffer under this brutal regime.”
○ The North Korean authorities bear primary responsibility for grave human rights violations including forced repatriation, arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence against North Korean residents. However, responsibility also extends to the Chinese government, which continues to treat North Korean escapees as illegal migrants and forcibly returns them, and to the South Korean government, which has not consistently ensured adequate protection for escapees who reach its territory.
○ By bringing this case before the South Korean judiciary, the NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support seeks to:
- • Legally establish the North Korean regime’s systematic and widespread human rights violations
- • Reinforce the South Korean government’s responsibility to protect North Korean escapees
- • Lay the foundation for restoring the rights of victims
- • Pave the way for further international proceedings, including submissions to UN human rights mechanisms and the International Criminal Court (ICC)
○ Notably, the civil complaint will request that the Permanent Mission of the DPRK to the United Nations in New York be designated as the recipient address for serving the lawsuit. As direct service to institutions in Pyongyang is not possible, this approach aims to establish valid service through diplomatic channels and may set a precedent for future international legal actions against North Korea.
○ The NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support, composed of public interest lawyers and experts, is dedicated to assisting victims of human rights violations committed by the North Korean authorities. Through this historically significant lawsuit, the first of its kind filed by a North Korean-born victim, we reaffirm our commitment to standing in solidarity with victims and pursuing justice in line with international human rights standards.
This case is being brought forward by the NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support and is represented by the following public interest lawyers:
Seung-hyun YOON, Director, NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support
Nam-geun YOON, Attorney
Jang-heon HAN, Attorney
Myung-seop HAN, Attorney
Young-hyun LEE, Attorney
Their collective expertise and dedication reflect a broader commitment within South Korea’s legal and civil society to uphold justice and accountability for grave human rights violations.
[PRESS RELEASE] North Korean-born Escapee Files
First Lawsuit in South Korean Court
Survivor of Torture and Sexual Violence in North Korean Detention Pursues Civil and Criminal Charges
Date of Release: Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 12:00 PM KST
For Immediate Release
sylee@nkdb.org
○ The NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support will file both a civil and a criminal complaint on behalf of Ms. Min-kyung CHOI, head of the NK Imprisonment Victims' Family Association (NKIVFA), who endured sexual violence and torture in North Korean detention facilities. The filings will take place on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 3:00 PM at the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, respectively.
○ This marks the first time that a North Korean-born escapee has voluntarily pursued legal action in South Korean courts and prosecutors’ offices, seeking accountability for human rights violations committed by the North Korean regime. The case is expected to become a significant milestone in both the domestic restoration of victims’ rights and the international pursuit of accountability under the Act on the Punishment of Crimes under the Jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, which includes crimes against humanity.
○ Ms. CHOI was repatriated to North Korea in 2008 following her first defection in 1997 and her time in China. She was detained for approximately five months in various facilities, including the Onsong County State Security Department, the North Hamgyong Province Holding Center, and the Sunam District Police Office in Chongjin, where she endured inhumane treatment. During this period, she was subjected to:
○ The 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) Report on Human Rights in the DPRK documented widespread and systematic crimes against humanity committed by the North Korean authorities. These abuses continue to this day, with many North Koreans suffering from violations of their freedoms and human rights under the regime’s oppressive rule.
○ Ms. CHOI, speaking today as the representative of the NK Imprisonment Victims' Family Association (NKIVFA), stated:“I stand here to demand that Kim Jong Un and his subordinates be held to account before the law. As a torture victim and survivor of the North Korean regime, I carry a deep and urgent responsibility to hold the Kim dynasty accountable for crimes against humanity.”
She added:“Even though 13 years have passed since I resettled in South Korea, I still suffer from severe PTSD due to the torture I endured, and I remain dependent on medication. My entire body still testifies to the horrific human rights situation in North Korea.”
Ms. Choi further appealed:“I hope this legal action sparks greater domestic and international attention to the North Korean human rights crisis. I earnestly wish for this small step to become a cornerstone for the restoration of freedom and human dignity, so that no more innocent North Koreans suffer under this brutal regime.”
○ The North Korean authorities bear primary responsibility for grave human rights violations including forced repatriation, arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence against North Korean residents. However, responsibility also extends to the Chinese government, which continues to treat North Korean escapees as illegal migrants and forcibly returns them, and to the South Korean government, which has not consistently ensured adequate protection for escapees who reach its territory.
○ By bringing this case before the South Korean judiciary, the NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support seeks to:
○ Notably, the civil complaint will request that the Permanent Mission of the DPRK to the United Nations in New York be designated as the recipient address for serving the lawsuit. As direct service to institutions in Pyongyang is not possible, this approach aims to establish valid service through diplomatic channels and may set a precedent for future international legal actions against North Korea.
○ The NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support, composed of public interest lawyers and experts, is dedicated to assisting victims of human rights violations committed by the North Korean authorities. Through this historically significant lawsuit, the first of its kind filed by a North Korean-born victim, we reaffirm our commitment to standing in solidarity with victims and pursuing justice in line with international human rights standards.
This case is being brought forward by the NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support and is represented by the following public interest lawyers:
Seung-hyun YOON, Director, NKDB Center for Human Rights Legal Support
Nam-geun YOON, Attorney
Jang-heon HAN, Attorney
Myung-seop HAN, Attorney
Young-hyun LEE, Attorney
Their collective expertise and dedication reflect a broader commitment within South Korea’s legal and civil society to uphold justice and accountability for grave human rights violations.