FOOTPRINTS

Database of those taken by North Korea



This database has been renewed and migrated to Footprints 2.0.

FOOTPRINTS is a joint civil society project to document and publish information concerning reported cases of arbitrary detention, abduction and enforced disappearances committed in and by North Korea, including the victims, perpetrators, proceedings to seek redress, relevant human rights instruments and North Korean resources. The open, accessible and searchable online database also provides relational and geospatial information to the users.



Number of Victims by year

For the years 1950 and 1951, FOOTPRINTS documented 19,097 and 214 people respectively.
For 514 people, the year is unknown.

*Numbers reflect cases collected in the FOOTPRINTS system, not total existing cases.

Latest Testimonials

War Abductee Ahn Chan soo 납북자 안찬수

Testimonials

War Abductee Chang Won sik 납북자 장원식

Testimonials

War Abductee Choi Jun kyung 납북자 최준경

Testimonials

Latest Cases

a boy below 18 years of age (UN WGEID)

Proceedings

A girl below 18 years of age (UN WGEID)

Proceedings

A minor (boy) whose name is not known N0000007

Victims

Latest Documents

Reports of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea submitted to the UN General Assembly

NK Resources

Amendments on the crime of aggression to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

HR Instruments

Basic Principles and Guidelines on Remedies and Procedures on the Right of Anyone Deprived of His or Her Liberty by Arrest or Detention to Bring Proceedings Before Court

HR Instruments

Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law

HR Instruments

Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners

HR Instruments

Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary

HR Instruments

Footprints Project Partners