National Human Rights Commission Chairman Ahn Chang-ho on Tuesday called for the swift establishment of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation, citing Pyongyang's continued forced labor practices including troop deployment to the Russia-Ukraine war.
"As evidenced by reports of troop dispatch to the Russia-Ukraine war, various forms of forced labor continue, including overseas labor deployment and military mobilization," Ahn said in a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the North Korean Human Rights Act.
"The additional human rights violations arising from North Korea's involvement in international armed conflicts through weapons support, troop deployment, and worker dispatch clearly demonstrate that North Korean human rights issues are no longer an internal matter," he said. "They are directly linked to international peace, security, and international human rights norms overall."
Ahn emphasized that international standards and principles must apply equally to North Korean human rights issues without exception.
The North Korean Human Rights Foundation was authorized under the 2016 legislation but has yet to launch due to partisan disputes in the National Assembly over board member nominations.
"The foundation's failure to launch has long delayed systematic activities including fact-finding surveys, policy development, and efforts to promote North Korean human rights," Ahn said. "I strongly urge the government and National Assembly to immediately resume establishment procedures, including board nominations."