The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Vitit Muntarbhorn concluded his official visit on 19 January. He stressed the need to assist all the victims of human rights violations in North Korea.
(Bangkok) The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Vitit Muntarbhorn concluded his official visit to Japan on 19 January. He stressed the need to assist all the victims of human rights violations in North Korea and called upon the country to take responsibility urgently for abducting Japanese citizens.

In relation to North Korea, Japan faces two key challenges: the denuclearisation question and the abduction issue. On the first issue, North Korea has not yet committed on nuclear non-proliferation. On the second, there are 17 persons listed officially as abducted by the country. Five of them have returned to Japan in 2002, and North Korea claims that other eight have died and four never entered the country.

Vitit visited Japan from 15 to 19 January for his third time. The main aim of the visit is to assess the impact of North Korea’s human rights situation on Japan. This was his third visit to the country.

He met Masahiko Koumura, the Foreign Minister of Japan, other government officials, members of civil society organisations and other stakeholders. He also met with the families of those who had been abducted by the government of North Korea. Vitit shared his sympathy to them, in pain caused by human rights violations by the country.

Vitit stressed the need to assist all victims of the human rights violations in North Korea in a sustained way.