(Seoul, February 4, 2013) The international community has been strengthening its call for the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) into North Korean human rights abuses.
 
For the past year and a half, the International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK) has put great efforts into increasing international support for the establishment of a UN COI into North Korea’s crimes against humanity. Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, severely criticized the “deplorable” human rights situation of North Korea and called for the establishment of a UN COI on January 14th. Marzuki Darusman, the Special Rapporteur on North Korean human rights, urged that North Korean human rights issues be addressed by a UN “mechanism of inquiry,” in his report that was submitted to the UN General Assembly last October. In addition, the British Members of Parliament’s and international human rights organizations’ statements urged for the establishment of a UN COI.
                                                                                         
On January 25th, the Japanese government decided to support the establishment of a UN COI for investigating human rights abuses committed by the North Korean authorities. Alongside the EU, Japan has been participating in drafting a resolution on North Korean human rights, which will be addressed at the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council. If a clause about the establishment of a COI is added to a resolution, the likelihood of its establishment will be greatly increased. 
 
Now is the time for the South Korean government to step forward onto the international stage for the establishment of a COI. It is not quite an exaggeration to say that the fate of a COI into North Korean human rights abuses is dependent upon the South Korean government.
 
The South Korean people and their government, who should be the parties most concerned with North Korean human rights because of historical links, need to accelerate the push for the establishment of a UN COI into North Korea by cooperating with the international community. We should not be indifferent to this strengthening international movement.
 
A UN COI will investigate the various human rights abuses committed by the North Korean authorities, including torture, arbitrary detention, abductions, public and summary executions, management of political prison camps, forced labor, and other kinds of crimes against humanity. By doing this, we will effectively expose the realities of North Korea and the criminal of its authorities to the rest of the world.
                                                                                                          
Omar al-Bashir, who is responsible for the genocide in Darfur, was prosecuted for his crimes through a UN COI investigation. Syria’s atrocities have also been judged as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Establishment of COIs has also preceded investigations in Rwanda and Libya. UN mandates on dictatorships from around the world should not bypass the North Korean authorities, which deprive its people of even basic human rights. The cruel violations of human rights committed on a daily basis in North Korean political prison camps are in no way different from those found in the previously mentioned countries. 
 
We, the 110 South Korean intellectuals and human rights activists, are urging the South Korean government and wider international community to adopt a resolution on North Korean human rights for the establishment of a COI at the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in March.
 
We call for the South Korean people and its government to be at the forefront of the establishment of a UN COI. 
 

110 South Korean Intellectuals supporting the Establishment of a COI
 
Ahn, Byoung Jik, Chairman of Zeitgeist
Ahn, Chan Il, President of World Defectors Federation
Ahn, Kwang Moo, Director of Ahn Kwang Moo Internal Medical Clinic
An, Myeong Chul, Secretary General of Free NK Gulag
Bae, Sung Kil, Chief Vice-Chairman of Korea Liberty Teachers’ Union
Byun, Jong Kook, the First President of University Student’s Forum of Korea
Cho, Dong Keun, Professor of Economics at Myongji University
Cho, Hee Mun, Professor at Inha University
Cho, Hyung Gon, Co-President of 21C Future Education Association
Cho, Jeon Hyeok, Professor at Incheon University
Cho, Jung Keun, Co-President of Health & Welfare Assembly
Cho, Sung Hwan, Professor at Kyonggi University
Cho, Young Ki, Professor at Korea University
Choi, Chang Gyu, Professor at Myongji University
Choi, Gong Jae, Chief Director of Next Generation Culture Solidarity
Choi, Seung Noh, Secretary General of CFE
Choi, Sung Yong, President of Abductees Family Organization
Do, Hee Yoon, President of Citizens' Coalition for Human Rights of Abductees and North Korean Refugees
Han, Nam Su, President of Young Defectors’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights
Heo, Hyun Joon, Secretary General of Special Commission of Repatriation of Daughter of Tongyoung
Hong, Il Sik, former Chancellor of Korea University, (Chairman of Korea Institute for Social Science and Humanity Studies)
Hong, Sun Kyung, Chairman of Committee for the Democratization of North Korea
Hong, Sung Joo, President of North Korean Human Rights Doctors Organization
Hong, Sung Ki, Professor at Ajou University
Hong, Sung Pil, Professor at Yonsei University
Hyun, Jin Kwon, Director of Center for Social Cohesion at Korea Economic Research Institute
Jeon, Woo Hyun, Professor at Hanyang University
Joo, Dae Hwan, Co-President of Social Democracy Solidarity
Joo, Ik Jong, Researcher at Naksungdae Institute of Economic Research
Jung, Peter, Secretary General of Association of North Korean Human Right Organizations
Jung, Seung Yoon, Professor at Busan University
Kang, Cheol Hwan, President of North Korea Strategy Center
Kang, Hoon, Attorney at Law
Kang, Keun Hwan, former President of Seoul Theological University
Kang, Kyu Hyung, Professor at Myongji Graduate School of Archival Sciences
Kim, Byoung Il, Senior Advisor at Kim & Chang
Kim, E-Suck, Vice Director of Institute of Market and Economy System
Kim, Heung Kwang, President of NK Intellectuals Solidarity
Kim, Ho Seop, Professor at Chung Ang University
Kim, Hye Joon, Senior Steering Committee of the South and North Youth Action
Kim, Ik Hwan, President of Open Radio for North Korea
Kim, Jong Seok, Professor at Hongik University
Kim, Jung Ho, Professor at Yonsei University
Kim, Jung Soo, Co-President of Federation of Pan-Citizens Association
Kim, Kil Ja, President of Lover Korea/ Honorary Chancellor of Kyung-In Women’s College
Kim, Kwang Dong, President of National Policy Institute
Kim, Kwang In, Manager of North Korea Strategy Center,
Kim, Sejung, former Professor at Yonsei University
Kim, Seung Cheol, President of North Korea Reform Radio
Kim, Tae Hoon, Attorney at Law
Kim, Yoon Tae, Secretary General of NK Net
Kim, Yoong Ki, Manager of Database Center for North Korean Human Rights
Kim, Young Hwan, Head Researcher of NK Net
Kim, Young Ja, Secretary General of Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights
Kim, Young Jik, Professor at Sungshin Women’s University
Koo, Bontae, President of Institute for Korean Integration of Society
Kwak, Sung Keun, President of KNR Manufac Corp.
Kwon, Eun Kyung, ICNK Secretariat
Kwon, Hyuk Cheol, Director of Law & Economy Division at Center for Free Enterprise
Lee, Ae Ran, President of North Korean Food Center
Lee, Byung Sung, President of Kyeong-gi School Parents Organization for Making Good School
Lee, Cheol Hoon, Publisher of Bait
Lee, Choon Keun, Senior Researcher at Korea Economic Research Institute
Lee, Dong Bok, President of North Korea Democracy Forum
Lee, Hee Bum, Secretary General of Student First
Lee, Heon, Co-President of Lawyers with Citizens
Lee, Horim, President of Publisher Biz Vision
Lee, Jae Gyo, President of Zeitgeist
Lee, Jae Won, Representative Lawyer of Ulchi Law Firm
Lee, Jisu, Professor of Politics and Diplomacy at Myongji University
Lee, Joo Young, President of Rhee Syngman Forum
Lee, Jung Hoon, Professor at Yonsei University
Lee, Kwang Baek, President of Radio Free Chosun
Lee, Mi Il, President of Korean War Abductee's Family Union
Lee, Myung Hee, Professor at Kongju University
Lee, Seung Hoon, Emeritus Professor of Seoul National University
Lee, Seung Yeol, Researcher of Ehwa Institute of Unification Studies
Lee, Sung Goo, Standing Commissioner of Liberalism Forum
Lee, Won Woong, Professor at Kwandong University
Lee, Yoon Koo, Central Chairman of Korea Liberty Teachers’ Union
Lee, Young Hoon, Professor at Seoul National University
Lim, Jung Sik, Steering Committee of Liberalism Forum
Min, Kyung Kook, Professor at Kangwon University
Moon, Dong Hee, President of Students Alliance for North Korean Human Rights
Moon, Kook Han, President of North Korean Human Rights’ International Association
Moon, Soon Bo, Researcher at Sejong Institute
Nam, Dong Hwan, Chairman of Science Korea
Nam, Si Wook, Chair-Professor at Sejong University
Nam, Sung Il, Professor at Sogang University
Namgung, Hosam, Director of Namgung Internal Medical Clinic
Noh, Jae Bong, former Prime Minister
Noh, Young Rae, Producer and Open Radio for North Korea
Oh, Kil Nam, Doctor of Economics
Oh, Kyoung Seop, Researcher at Sejong Institute
Park, Bum Jin, Chairman of Research Institute for New Korea
Park, Jong Woon, former Committee Member of the Hannara Party
Park, Sang Jeung, Honorary Chairman of the Beautiful Foundation
Park, Young Woo, Special Committee of Education Division at Korean Labor Union Confederation
Seo, Jae Pyoung, Secretary General of Committee for the Democratization of North Korea
Shim, Yong Sik, Co-President of Institute of Environment Data Evaluation
Shin, Bora, President of the Youth Forum
Shin, Do Cheol, Professor of Economics at Sookmyung Women’s University
Shin, Un Myoung, Director of Korea Freedom Federation
Sohn, Kwang Joo, Director of Unified Strategy Institute and Daily NK
Song, Ho Yeol, former Chancellor of Seowon University
Song, Jong Hwan, Visiting Professor of North Korea Department at Myongji University
Song, Keun Jon, Director of Zeitgeist
Yang, Dong An, President of Modern Ideology Research Association
Yoo, Ho Yeol, Professor of North Korea Department at Korea University
Yoo, Sung Sik, Executive Director of Zeitgeist