Survivor Perspectives on Justice for North Korea

Today, Korea Future releases a powerful new video where North Korean survivors share their vision for justice, alongside our latest report, Survivor-Centred Justice: North Korean Perspectives. Through in-depth interviews and a comprehensive survey, over 100 survivors across the UK and South Korea have voiced a strong call for international legal accountability, greater survivor involvement in justice processes, and holistic support measures to aid their recovery. We extend our gratitude to Elizabeth Salmón, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the DPRK, for her impactful reminder of the importance of a survivor-centred approach in soft law

Our findings show that 93% of respondents favour pursuing legal action through international courts. This growing desire for justice beyond the borders of South Korea emphasises the importance of impartial, global, and enforceable mechanisms to address human rights violations and international crimes. Additionally, survivors highlighted the value of civil society organisations like Korea Future in championing justice efforts, with 94% viewing civil society organisations as essential leaders in these initiatives.

Furthermore, while legal mechanisms are pivotal, nearly half of the respondents support non-judicial measures like mental health and psychosocial support, including services offered by organisations such as Connect: North Korea, underscoring a need for resilience and healing as part of the justice journey.

Korea Future stands alongside survivors, amplifying their voices to build a robust, survivor-centred approach to justice. Find out more about our capacity building programmes for survivors, our development of gender-sensitive, trauma-informed, and survivor-centred documentation practices, and our joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review of North Korea earlier this year.