Distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues, and all attendees, thank you for joining us today for the inauguration of the NKNGO Forum. I am Wonsuh Song.
First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone present here today. In my interactions with North Korean defectors and after listening to their stories, I was profoundly shocked and felt a deep sense of responsibility. Through these experiences, I realized that the human rights issues in North Korea are a shared concern that we all must address together.
In Japan, there are many families suffering due to abductions by North Korea. The number of officially unrecognized abduction victims is estimated to be in the hundreds, and their families have endured unimaginable pain. In South Korea, there are over 500 abduction victims, and the number of separated families due to the Korean War reaches 10 million. The sorrow of families in both Japan and Korea continues to this day.
Furthermore, it is reported that more than 200,000 people in North Korea are held in political prison camps, facing severe human rights abuses. Many people remain trapped under the regime, stripped of their fundamental rights. Today, we are honored to have many individuals who have long been dedicated to resolving North Korean human rights issues. We must work together to address these problems and find solutions.
The human rights issues in North Korea and the abduction issue are not separate matters. If the human rights of North Korean residents improve, it would lead to reforms, greater openness, and democratization, significantly enhancing the quality of life for the people. I also believe that progress in human rights and systemic change will pave the way for a denuclearized North Korea. Human rights are a universal value that transcends nationality and political regimes, and improving human rights is key to achieving peace in Northeast Asia as well as resolving the abduction issue.
Today, we are facing a harsh reality with North Korea’s missile launches and military cooperation with Russia, posing significant threats to peace in Northeast Asia. In such a situation, the role of civil society-led public diplomacy is becoming increasingly vital. The NKNGO Forum aims to broaden international awareness and empathy for North Korean human rights issues through our multilingual platform, NKNGO NEWS. We also plan to organize networking events and lectures to create spaces where more people can collaborate toward finding solutions.
This event marks the starting point of cooperation among various organizations from South Korea, Japan, and the United States. Our core principles are political neutrality, objective reporting, raising international awareness of North Korean human rights and the abduction issue, and strengthening international cooperation. With the experience and influence each of you holds in your respective fields, even a small contribution of interest and advocacy can amplify the impact of our activities. While the power of an individual may seem small, together, we can create significant change.
This year, we will focus on strengthening exchanges with various North Korea-related organizations in Japan and expanding our human network to lay a foundation for future cooperation. Additionally, through our news platform, we will disseminate diverse information in multiple languages to engage a wider audience on North Korean issues.
In closing, I would like to once again express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone attending today. I hope that together we can bring about positive changes in society. You are the protagonists of today’s event, and it is with your support and collaboration that the NKNGO Forum will move forward. I kindly ask for your continued support and cooperation.
Thank you.
NKNGO Forum
Wonsuh Song
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