Capital city leading efforts for human rights improvement in the North
Seoul announced on July 19 that it had hosted a North Korean human rights forum to lead the regional governments in an effort to deal with issues related to the North.
This forum was designed to shed light on the reality of human rights violations in North Korea and to explore ways to improve human rights in the reclusive state.
This year is particularly significant as it marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Commission of Inquiry’s Report on North Korean human rights, according to the Seoul city government.
The Seoul government noted that the forum took place earlier this month at the city hall.
The forum was held in two sessions on the topics of the reality of North Korean human rights and international cooperation strategies.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivered a keynote speech.
“Seoul is home to approximately 6,400 North Korean defectors, whose settlement is referred to as the ‘unification that came first.’" he said.
"We are committed to providing various forms of support to ensure their complete settlement."
The forum was live-streamed through YouTube and is available for replay.