Statement by UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk in South Korea

Good afternoon, Annyeonghaseyo!

Thank you for joining us this afternoon.

This has been a short visit, but one that has been extremely important for me in terms of my Office’s excellent engagement with the Government of the Republic of Korea, business leaders, the national human rights commission and civil society in Seoul, and to enable me to hear directly from people about the dire human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The Republic of Korea is an important strategic partner for my Office – the UN Human Rights Office.

As always during my visits, I discussed domestic, regional and global issues.

At the domestic level, in December 2024, this country underwent a political crisis that was a critical test of its democracy. I am inspired by the way the country’s institutions – and above all its people, through peaceful protest – held firm to human rights, the rule of law and accountability.

In my meetings with South Korea’s dynamic civil society and trade unions, they shared their valuable insight across a wide range of human rights issues in this country – expertise that the institutions can draw from in ensuring a more equitable society for all.

Some key human rights concerns emerged that have also been the subject of recommendations by the UN human rights system over the years.

For example, the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, which has been under discussion for more than 20 years, needs to be prioritised to ensure equality and protection for women, minorities, refugees and migrants, people with disabilities and the LGBTIQ+ community.

I heard about the well-documented gender pay gap in the country, as well as disturbing reports of violence against women and femicide. The rise in femicide is sadly a global phenomenon. Civil society working with refugees and migrants also highlighted gaps in protection of migrant workers, leaving them particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. It is clear that these longstanding issues need to be addressed robustly.

At the regional level, the human rights situation in the DPRK was an important focus of my visit.

As one human rights defender told me yesterday, “the DPRK is counting on the world’s attention having moved on, and on the silence becoming permanent”.

Serious human rights violations are ongoing, and it is crucial that they are not allowed to go unnoticed.

I heard from a mother who has not seen her children in more than a decade. Of grief-stricken families unable to confirm the fate of their loved ones across the border.

A son who fears his mother – who fled North Korea with him and was then sold as a “bride” in China – would be forcibly returned.

I heard from escapees who are working hard to build a new life in South Korea but live with daily yearning and fear for their loved ones in the DPRK. I felt their pain and intergenerational trauma that they expressed.

And I heard hope that one day, this terrible nightmare will end for people in DPRK.

Human rights are not an ideology. They don’t belong to any political party.

Human rights should never be subjected to partisan politics or geopolitics – they are first and foremost about human beings.

This may sound obvious, but sadly it is not.

The situation in the DPRK is a human rights crisis – and it is high time the international community treats it as such.

My Office has continued to document patterns of ongoing gross human rights violations, some of which may amount to crimes against humanity.

I am particularly worried about the extreme prioritisation of security and military investments at the expense of desperately needed social services and sustainable development in the DPRK.

It is clear that there needs to be accountability in all its forms – including non-judicial forms – for the grave violations that have plagued the DPRK for decades. My Office advocates for criminal accountability through referral to the International Criminal Court and the use of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction by Member States.

It is equally clear that we need all hands on deck to craft fresh solutions for the way forward.

Peace and security on the Korean peninsula need to be anchored in human rights.

My Office in Seoul, through its documentation work, is preserving and analysing information that is essential for any truth, justice and accountability efforts. We are working to ensure that the suffering of victims and their families is not erased, including through memorialisation and truth-telling.

At the same time, we are engaging with DPRK officials wherever there are openings, such as on the rights of people with disabilities, in connection with their participation in UN human rights treaty body reviews in Geneva. These are small but important steps towards dialogue and confidence building.

The arrival of a women’s football team next week from DPRK is encouraging. Urgent steps are needed to find ways to exchange letters, resume family contacts and reunions, and release information clarifying the whereabouts and fate of disappeared and abducted people.

At the global level, the Republic of Korea has an influence far beyond its borders. Korean culture has become a powerful global identity, shaping trends and perspectives, particularly among the younger generations. This growing international presence reflects South Korea’s increasing role on the world stage, which it can leverage to further advance human rights, multilateralism and democratic principles.

I look forward to building on the longstanding, strong relationship my Office has had with the country, particularly on critical issues such as digital technology, artificial intelligence and human rights, on which the Republic of Korea is playing an increasingly important leadership role.

Human rights are ultimately about the regulation of power – which is why it is essential that they guide the development, design and implementation of powerful technological tools, including artificial intelligence. In my meetings with business leaders and officials, we discussed how human rights norms and principles can be at the heart of both the innovation that comes with artificial intelligence, as well as its governance.

Tomorrow, I will visit the May 18 National Cemetery in Gwangju, which stands as a powerful site of remembrance for those who lost their lives almost 50 years ago when they stood up to demand an end to military rule. We must never forget their sacrifice – and that of so many others around the world who continue to pay the ultimate price in advocating for a better, fairer, more just world for us all.

I leave this country encouraged by the many people who continue to work, with great energy, towards this goal. My Office stands ready to support these efforts.

At this time of powerful pushbacks against human rights, international law and multilateralism, the Republic of Korea is an essential partner. We count on your continued, robust defence of multilateralism and human rights – both at home and beyond.

Kamsa Hamnida, thank you.