Elizabeth Salmón, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, has called for financial support for civil society organizations in South Korea working on North Korean human rights issues.
According to Voice of America (VOA), Salmón stated on Wednesday that human rights must be prioritized now more than ever. She urged the global community to monitor North Korea’s human rights situation and support non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to protecting and promoting human rights.
Salmón pointed out that some South Korean civil society organizations face serious difficulties due to sudden funding suspensions and budget cuts. She emphasized that these organizations have played a unique and essential role in advancing and safeguarding the human rights of the North Korean people for many years.
She further warned, “I am concerned that the discontinuation of human rights work by civil society due to financial constraints will have long-term consequences on efforts to improve human rights of people in the DPRK and on ensuring accountability for human rights violations and crimes against humanity.”