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/ Ministry of Unification

Unification Minister Kim Young-ho on Tuesday welcomed the UN Human Rights Council’s ruling that the prolonged detention of South Korean missionaries Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kuk-gi and Choi Chun-gil by North Korea is unlawful, calling it “significant progress” in resolving the issue.

According to the Ministry of Unification, Kim held separate video conferences on Monday with the chairs of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), and the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea (APPG NK), including Member of Parliament Iain Duncan Smith.

During the meetings, the participants discussed the implications of the WGAD’s decision—announced on March 13 in Geneva—and explored ways for the international community to cooperate in ensuring North Korea follows through with concrete measures.

Kim emphasized that the WGAD’s conclusion marks the first time the international community has formally declared North Korea’s detention of the missionaries to be illegal. He noted that the UN’s official decision includes specific recommendations and deadlines for North Korea, which he said was “a major step forward” in addressing the detentions.

The minister also stressed the importance of compelling North Korea to implement the follow-up measures outlined by the WGAD. He said that sustained international solidarity and cooperation would be essential in this process.

The ministry added that it launched a special task force in September 2023 under the minister’s direct supervision to address issues related to abductees, detainees, and South Korean POWs held in the North. The minister also participated in a high-level trilateral meeting with U.S. and Japanese officials last October to advance these efforts.

“The solidarity and cooperation shown to secure the release of Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kuk-gi, and Choi Chun-gil—unlawfully detained in North Korea—as well as to improve human rights in the North, demonstrate that this is a universal human issue that transcends nationality,” Kim said.