A/HRC/22/45
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Number of
outstanding
cases at the
beginning of
the period
under review
12
Cases transmitted to the
Government during the period
under review: 4
Cases clarified during the period
under review: 0
Cases sent under Cases sent
the urgent action under the
procedure
standard
procedure
Government
Non-governmental
sources
0
0
0
4
Number of
outstanding cases
at the end of the
year under review
20c
Number of cases on which the Multiple replies on some cases
Government has replied
Number of cases of possible clarification
by Government (6-month rule)
12
0
Yes
Urgent Appeal
N/A
Government response
N/A
General allegation
Yes
Government response
No
Prompt intervention letter
N/A
Government response
N/A
Working Group request for a visit
N/A
Invitation extended
N/A
Standard procedure
102.
The Working Group transmitted four newly-reported cases to the Government.
103. The first two cases concerned Mr. Won-mo Choi, and Mr. Kyeong-shik Moon who
were allegedly arrested on a fishing boat near Yeonpyeong Island, to the west of the Korean
Peninsula, by members of the Coast Guard of the Democratic People‘s Republic of Korea
on 5 June 1967. In accordance with the Working Group‘s methods of work, the
Government of the Republic of Korea received copies of these cases.
104. The third case concerned Mr. Susumu Fujita, a Japanese university student at
Tokyo Gakugei University, who was allegedly detained in Nishiarai Hospital, 5-7-14
Nishiarai-honcho, Adachi-ku, 123-0845 Tokyo, Japan, on 7 February 1976, and
subsequently taken to the Democratic People‘s Republic of Korea. In accordance with the
Working Group‘s methods of work, the Government of Japan received a copy of this case.
105. The fourth case concerned Mr. Jang-Geun Choi, who was allegedly abducted on
the South Sea near Samcheonpo, two to three miles from the south coast of the Republic of
Korea by state agents from the Democratic People‘s Republic of Korea on 10 May 1977. In
accordance with the Working Group‘s methods of work, the Government of the Republic of
Korea received a copy of this case.
General allegations
106. On 3 October 2012, the Working Group, jointly with three other special procedures
mechanisms, transmitted a general allegation to the Government concerning the alleged use
of labour camps, also known as kwan-li-so, for political prisoners. It was reported, inter
alia, that prisoners detained at these labour camps, which have allegedly been in operation
since the 1950s, are not given a trial, and are held incommunicado without notice of the
charges against them, nor information on the length or place of detention. It was further
reported that no information regarding prisoners‘ whereabouts is provided to friends,
c
44
In accordance with paragraph 15 of its Methods of Work, the Working Group decided, at its 97th
session to transfer four cases from the statistics of Japan to those of the Democratic People‘s Republic
of Korea.