Seoul, December 10, 2013
 
On the 65th annual International Human Rights Day, the International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK) said today that it is looking forward to the forthcoming report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

 

The ICNK, which comprises 42 groups including Human Rights Watch, Federation Internationale des Droits de l’Homme, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide, praised the Commission of Inquiry for conducting a thorough and public information-gathering effort and holding hearings in Seoul, Tokyo, Washington, and London.

 

Eunkyoung Kwon at the ICNK Secretariat said today, “The Commission of Inquiry has really made an exceptional effort to shed light on the mass atrocity crimes being committed against the North Korean people by North Korea government, and provided a tremendous opportunity for victims to have their important testimonies heard by the United Nations.”

 

Anticipating the release of the Commission’s report next February, Kwon further stated, “Based on the research and information from our members, we believe the North Korean government has perpetrated crimes against humanity against the North Korean people.  It is critically important that the recommendations put forward by the Commission be robust, clear, and comprehensive, and should provide a global call to action to address the suffering of the North Korean people.”

 

ICNK said the totality of the UN system, including the Security Council, should be engaged to address the crimes against humanity being committed in North Korea.  In addition, it will be essential for the UN Human Rights Council to create both a formal follow-up mechanism for the Commission’s recommendations, to include:

* Subject to the Commission advising otherwise, the UN should ensure accountability for those responsible for crimes against the North Korean people by the International Criminal Court or other appropriate international justice mechanism; 
* Providing additional resources for the work of OHCHR on North Korea; 
* Gathering evidence and testimonies that might one day be used to prosecute those responsible for grave crimes against the North Korean people
* Creating a permanent repository for the papers of the Commission.

The ICNK urges the member states of the United Nations to strongly support the findings and recommendations of the Commission.

 

In Seoul: Eunkyoung Kwon, Open Radio for North Korea & Secretariat to the Coalition (Korean, English): +82-17-508-8815 (mobile); or kekyoung@gmail.com
In Tokyo: Kanae Doi, Human Rights Watch (Japanese, English): 03-5282-5162; 090-2301-4372 (mobile); or doik@hrw.org
In London: Benedict Rogers, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (English): +44-7919-030575; or ben@csw.org.uk
In Bangkok: Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch (English, Thai): +66-85-060-8406 (mobile); or robertp@hrw.org

 

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The International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea is a joint effort of over 40 human rights groups worldwide that seeks to protect the human rights of North Koreans and to hold the Pyongyang government accountable for its abuses and violations of the human rights of the North Korean people.
 
Members and supporters of the Coalition include:
 
Advocates International Global Council
Asia Justice and Rights
Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances
Asian Human Rights & Humanity Association of Japan
Burma Partnership (Thailand)
Christian Lawyers Association for Paraguay
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (USA)
Conectas (Brazil)
Council for Human Rights in North Korea (Canada)
Freedom House (USA)
Free NK Gulag (ROK)
Free North Korea Radio (ROK)
Han Voice (Canada)
HH Katacombs (ROK)
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Without Frontiers (Belgium)
Inter-American Federation of Christian Lawyers
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
COMJAN (Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea)(Japan)
Japanese Lawyers Association for Abduction and Other Human Rights Issues in North Korea
Jubilee Campaign (USA)
Justice for North Korea (ROK)
Kontras (Indonesia)
Liberty in North Korea - LiNK (USA)
Life Funds for North Korean Refugees (Japan)
Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights (ROK)
NK Intellectual Solidarity (ROK)
No Fence (Japan)
North Korea Freedom Coalition
Odhikar (Bangladesh)
Open North Korea (ROK)
People In Need (Czech Republic)
PSALT NK (Prayer Service Action Love Truth for North Korea)
The Simon Wiesenthal Center (USA)
The Society to Help Returnees to North Korea (Japan)
Students Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea (ROK)
World Without Genocide (USA)
Young Defectors' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (ROK)
Yuki Akimoto, Burmainfo (Japan)
Tomoharu Ebihara
David Hawk, Visiting Scholar, Columbia University, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, and author of Hidden Gulag
Ken Kato, Director, Human Rights in Asia (Japan)
Tomoyuki Kawazoe, Representative, Kanagawa Association for The Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea / Member, Reporters Without Borders
Suzanne Scholte, Seoul Peace Prize Recipient & Defense Forum Foundation (USA)
Dr. Norbert Vollertsen