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The invitation to the event came from Mrs. Kwon Eun Kyoung, General Director of NK Net, a network of human rights organizations working for the defense of human rights in North Korea and advocating for the end of Kim Jong-Un's regime.
Ms. Kwon Eun Kyoung, South Korean Minister of Unification Mr. Kim Young-ho, former IOC Commissioner Ambassador Michael Kirby and Mr. Ha Tae Keung, President of the Assembly of International Parliamentarians of the Coalition for North Korean Refugees and Human Rights, participated and spoke at the Symposium.
The first panel included Mr. Greg Scarlatoiu, Executive Director of the Human Rights Committee in North Korea (HRNK), Mr. Lee Sang-Yong, Director of the Daily NK, Ms. Lina Yoon, Senior Researcher of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch, Mr. Nam Bada, Secretary General of PSCORE (People for Successful Korean Reunification), Mr. Nicolai Sprekels, representative of Saram - Für Menschen in Nordkorea and Mr. Tom Sprekels, representative of Saram - Für Menschen in Nordkorea. Nam Bada, Secretary General of PSCORE (People for Successful Korean Reunification), Mr. Nicolai Sprekels, representative of Saram - Für Menschen in Nordkorea and Mr. Tomoharu Ebihara, Director of the Korea Abductee Rescue Association. This panel discussed the state of affairs in North Korea after 10 years of the COI and the human rights outlook for the future.
In the second panel participated Agustín Menéndez for CADAL, Park Sokeel, South Korea Director of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), Benedict Rogers, Senior Analyst of East Asia of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Sean Chung, Director of Han Voice. This second panel discussed possible strategies for advancing the human rights movement in North Korea and future goals, as well as an overview of the work done to date.
The overall framework of the Symposium discussed and developed strategies to ensure accountability for North Korean crimes against humanity; strategies to raise the profile of North Korean Human Rights issues on the international stage; diplomatic strategies to counter North Korean attempts to suppress outside influences and tighten control through a state-led system; humanitarian initiatives to improve economic and social rights, including the right to food, areas that currently appear blocked by the North Korean regime when addressed through South Korean channels; and ways to raise awareness among North Korean citizens of global developments and collective intelligence values, including Human Rights and Democracy.
Specifically, Agustín Menéndez presented the advances and achievements reached by the project "North Korea under the magnifying glass" by CADAL and the current situation of Latin America regarding North Korea.
Menéndez also participated on September 15, as an assistant, in the "International Youth Forum: The growing wave of Generation Z for Human Rights in North Korea", held at the Unesco Hall in Seoul, where young students and researchers from countries such as United States, South Africa, Netherlands, Italy, Germany and South Korea spoke about the instances of participation and commitment of the new generations and the possible strategies to use with Generation Z in order to generate support for the cause of Human Rights in North Korea.
Agustín Menéndez's participation allowed CADAL to forge new links and strengthen the existing ones, such as those established with Daily NK, HRNK, PSCORE and Human Rights Watch; to be enriched by different strategies wielded by organizations promoting the defense of Human Rights and to think of new agendas to be developed in the future with peers in the world to have a coordinated strategy.
CADAL was also invited to coordinate and be a strategic partner for the next meeting of the Assembly of International Parliamentarians of the Coalition of Human Rights and Refugees of North Korea by its President Mr. Ha Tae Keung.
