
Dec 16th Webinar on North Korea in the Russian War:
Exploring Perpetration, Victimhood, and Accountability in Armed Conflicts
- On October 28, NATO announced the large-scale deployment of North Korean troops in Russia, sparking global security concerns. This move follows a series of munitions deliveries to Russia, signaling an escalation in North Korea's involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War.
- On December 16, a global webinar will bring together experts from both the North Korean and Ukrainian human rights contexts to examine the dual roles of the forcefully conscripted North Korean soldiers as both participants and victims in the war. The webinar is hosted by the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), UpRights, Public Interest Journalism Lab, and The Reckoning Project.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — On December 16, the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), UpRights, the Public Interest Journalism Lab, and The Reckoning Project will jointly host a pivotal webinar addressing the emerging issue of North Korea’s military involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Titled North Korea and Russia: Complexities of Perpetration, Victimhood, and Accountability in Armed Conflicts, this webinar will examine the situation from a human rights perspective, underscoring the plight of North Korean soldiers who have been forcibly conscripted into Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
The webinar seeks to move beyond the simplistic view of these soldiers as mere participants in the conflict, instead framing them as both participants and victims within the interplay between Russia’s crimes against the Ukrainian people and North Korea’s systemic exploitation of its own citizens. The webinar will bring together a distinguished panel of experts to explore the multifaceted dimensions of the role of North Korean soldiers in the conflict and the inherent challenges to seeking accountability for the human rights violations involved.
Part 1: North Korea’s Involvement in the Armed Conflict
In Part 1 of this two-part webinar, Nataliya Gumenyuk from The Reckoning Project, Oleksandra Romantsova from the Center for Civil Liberties, Ilya Nuzov from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Valerie Gabard from UpRights will provide an in-depth analysis of the current geopolitical dynamics between Russia, Ukraine, and North Korea. They will address the evolving role of North Korea in the Russo-Ukrainian War and explore critical issues surrounding international humanitarian law, such as crimes of aggression, the treatment of prisoners of war, and the implications of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Drawing on their extensive experience in human rights activism, journalism, international law, and conflict resolution, these experts will set the stage for understanding the international human rights framework applicable to this context.
Part 2: Implications for North Korean Soldiers Active in the Conflict
In Part 2, the discussion will turn to the overlooked realities of the North Korean soldiers who are being forced into the conflict. The panel, featuring former North Korean soldier Seonghyun Ryu, Jung-hyun Cho from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Law School, Sokeel Park from Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), and Yeosang Yoon from the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), will examine the North Korean soldiers’ victimhood with respect to their lack of autonomy and the repressive conditions of the North Korean military. The session will also highlight South Korea’s unique role and obligations in protecting these individuals from the aftermath of the conflict, referring to the country’s domestic laws on the treatment of North Korean escapees.
The webinar will feature simultaneous interpretation in English and Korean and will be held on December 16 at the following time:
- Seoul: 19:00–21:00
- Kyiv: 12:00–14:00
- Brussels: 11:00–13:00
Register now to be part of this critical discussion on the intersection of human rights, international conflict, and accountability.
For more information or to register, please visit www.en.nkdb.org or click here.

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For inquiries: (Email) info@nkdb.org or (Phone) +82-2-723-6045
Dec 16th Webinar on North Korea in the Russian War:
Exploring Perpetration, Victimhood, and Accountability in Armed Conflicts
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — On December 16, the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), UpRights, the Public Interest Journalism Lab, and The Reckoning Project will jointly host a pivotal webinar addressing the emerging issue of North Korea’s military involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Titled North Korea and Russia: Complexities of Perpetration, Victimhood, and Accountability in Armed Conflicts, this webinar will examine the situation from a human rights perspective, underscoring the plight of North Korean soldiers who have been forcibly conscripted into Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
The webinar seeks to move beyond the simplistic view of these soldiers as mere participants in the conflict, instead framing them as both participants and victims within the interplay between Russia’s crimes against the Ukrainian people and North Korea’s systemic exploitation of its own citizens. The webinar will bring together a distinguished panel of experts to explore the multifaceted dimensions of the role of North Korean soldiers in the conflict and the inherent challenges to seeking accountability for the human rights violations involved.
Part 1: North Korea’s Involvement in the Armed Conflict
In Part 1 of this two-part webinar, Nataliya Gumenyuk from The Reckoning Project, Oleksandra Romantsova from the Center for Civil Liberties, Ilya Nuzov from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), and Valerie Gabard from UpRights will provide an in-depth analysis of the current geopolitical dynamics between Russia, Ukraine, and North Korea. They will address the evolving role of North Korea in the Russo-Ukrainian War and explore critical issues surrounding international humanitarian law, such as crimes of aggression, the treatment of prisoners of war, and the implications of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. Drawing on their extensive experience in human rights activism, journalism, international law, and conflict resolution, these experts will set the stage for understanding the international human rights framework applicable to this context.
Part 2: Implications for North Korean Soldiers Active in the Conflict
In Part 2, the discussion will turn to the overlooked realities of the North Korean soldiers who are being forced into the conflict. The panel, featuring former North Korean soldier Seonghyun Ryu, Jung-hyun Cho from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Law School, Sokeel Park from Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), and Yeosang Yoon from the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), will examine the North Korean soldiers’ victimhood with respect to their lack of autonomy and the repressive conditions of the North Korean military. The session will also highlight South Korea’s unique role and obligations in protecting these individuals from the aftermath of the conflict, referring to the country’s domestic laws on the treatment of North Korean escapees.
The webinar will feature simultaneous interpretation in English and Korean and will be held on December 16 at the following time:
Register now to be part of this critical discussion on the intersection of human rights, international conflict, and accountability.
For more information or to register, please visit www.en.nkdb.org or click here.
###
For inquiries: (Email) info@nkdb.org or (Phone) +82-2-723-6045