In 2004, the U.S. Congress passed the North Korea Human Rights Act to advance freedom and human rights and provide humanitarian assistance for North Korean refugees and Koreans living in the North. Following this legislation, in 2005 the North Korea Freedom Coalition–composed of NGOs in the USA, Japan, and South Korea, and North Korean defectors’ organizations–inaugurated North Korea Freedom Week to raise public awareness about the tragic human rights violations committed against North Koreans. These three key nations share the same values: to safeguard democracy and promote innate human rights in the Northeast Asia region.

Yet, current security and economic threats in the region, mainly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the U.S.-China confrontation, require new approaches to North Korea’s oppressive regime and to the complicated issue of Japan-Korea relations. Human dignity must be recognized and preserved among all members of the human family beyond nations; it is the key to peace. Now is the time to focus on reforming the North Korean political and financial system to eliminate the threat of nuclear weapons and cybercrimes, and end the cruel treatment of human beings in concentration camps, strict travel restrictions, and control of information. This international forum discusses civil cooperation for the freedom and liberation of the people in North Korea with the goal of a Free and Unified Korea.

Conveners

– Global Peace Foundation
– North Korea Freedom Coalition
– Action for Korea United
– One Korea Foundation
– Korea of All
– International Coalition for Religious Freedom in North Korea