Mensenrechtendag: Seoul
NKDB International Seminar on ‘The Reality of North Korean Human Rights Violation: China’s Repatriation of North Korean Defectors’
The Netherlands Embassy in Seoul has contributed and sponsored a seminar entitled ‘The International Seminar on The Reality of North Korean Human Rights Violation: China’s Repatriation of North Korean Defectors’, to raise awareness to the brutal realities of China’s current repatriation policy toward North Korean defectors and human rights violations in the DPRK on Human Right’s Day.
The seminar will be held on 10th of December, 2013 at Seminar Room 2 (B1), Education & Culture Center located in Seoul, South Korea. The seminar consists of the testimony, presentation and panel discussion session.
Opening remarks by Sang-hun Kim, Chairman of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights will be followed by Congratulatory remarks from Suk-Woo Kim, President of National Development Institute and Jos van Dinther, First Secretary of Netherlands Embassy in Seoul.
Before the presentation and panel discussion session, a North Korean defector will testify on his/her personal experience of forced repatriation.
On the plenary session, chaired by Jeong-won Park, Professor of Kukmin University, Seong-cheoul Park, Seong-chul Park, Researcher of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) will give a presentation on the Crackdown on North Korean Defectors and the Reality of Human Rights Violation in China. In-ho Park, Representative of DailyNK and Joanna Hosaniak, Deputy Director General of Citizen’s Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) will be discussing on this matter.
Second presentation will be given by Yeo-sang Yoon, Chief Director of North Korean Human Rights Achieves, on the treatment of North Korean Defectors and the reality of Human Rights violation in the DPRK. Hyun-Jin Son, Member of Research Administration Department of the Korea Legislation Research Institute (KLRI) and Hae-kyung Lee, Doctor of North Korean Studies will be talking about this topic.
The seminar is based on the results of the NKDB’s 5 survey for 300 defectors who are living in South Korea and in-depth interview with 20 defectors in China who have experienced China’s forced repatriation during 5 months. The investigation results included △ The demographic factors and background reasons for their stay including their personal information such as age, vocation etc △ Results also provide information such as the responsible custody organization in China, statement confirming the reasons for the arrest, imprisonment facilities and the overall condition of the forced deportation △ Detail accounts of the human rights situations of the forced repatriates that took place in China and in the DPRK are being disclosed.