Case Study: United Nations
Overview
In April 2024, the United Nations adopted a new resolution on North Korea, significantly shaped by Korea Future’s groundbreaking documentation and advocacy. This resolution marks a critical step forward in the international community's commitment to confronting the severe and systematic violations perpetuated in North Korea, reflecting a growing global consensus that the persistent and egregious violations in North Korea must be met with an evidence-based and coordinated response.
Impact
Korea Future's documentation and strategic advocacy were instrumental in shaping the 2024 UN resolution. By presenting compelling and comprehensive findings of widespread and systematic human rights violations across all areas of the North Korean prison system—including sexual violence—Korea Future directly informed key aspects of the resolution that demand increased international scrutiny and decisive measures against those responsible for these violations.
For the first time, the resolution explicitly addresses the entire North Korean prison system, calling for an immediate end to all human rights violations within it. It also underscores the urgent need for North Korea to acknowledge and address the pervasive sexual violence against forcibly repatriated women in detention. Moreover, the resolution emphasises the importance of transparency regarding the treatment of women and demands specific protections for them—direct outcomes of Korea Future's targeted advocacy efforts. This landmark resolution marks a significant advancement in the international community's efforts to hold North Korea accountable and sends a powerful message that ongoing violations will not be tolerated.
Why it matters
The 2024 UN resolution on North Korea, shaped by Korea Future, is a powerful example of how effective documentation and evidence-based advocacy can drive international action. By incorporating Korea Future's findings into its call for stronger accountability measures and human rights protections, the UN has taken a significant step toward challenging the impunity of North Korea. This resolution strengthens the global movement for justice, providing a critical foundation for future actions to protect human rights in North Korea.