In 2017, three years after a UN Commission of Inquiry exposed "unparalleled"  atrocities in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the situation remained largely unchanged. As the world's commitment to the principle of "never again" began to fade, survivors approached human rights investigators Michael Glendinning and James Burt, long-time supporters of North Korean refugees, seeking to advance accountability and justice.

Consultations with survivors and discussions with policymakers revealed three critical shortcomings that hindered progress. First, the documentation of survivors' experiences within the DPRK's penal system—the central source of the "unparalleled" violations—was inconsistent and unreliable. Second, this lack of robust evidence left national and international bodies ill-equipped to hold perpetrators accountable. Third, the exclusion of survivors from justice processes prevented their direct involvement in seeking accountability.

Mandated by the survivor community to address these gaps, Korea Future was established in London, home to the second-largest North Korean refugee diaspora globally. Within two years, an  office was opened in South Korea, where it rapidly compiled unprecedented documentation of systematic violations. To  leverage these findings for legal and political advocacy, an office was established in 2021 in The Hague, the  hub of international justice.

Today, Korea Future is the leading organisation committed to achieving justice with victims and ensuring accountability for violators in the DPRK’s penal system, propelled by a clear mandate from the survivors they serve.