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The Government of Japan hosts a symposium to discuss strategies towards restoration of humanity in North Korea in New York City

 On Wednesday, May 4, the Government of Japan will host the symposium on Human Rights Situation in DPRK – Strategies towards Restoration of Humanity – in New York, the United States.
 Since the COI report was released, efforts made by the international community to improve the human rights situation in North Korea have gained more momentum than ever. Subsequent to the adoption of resolutions at the UN General Assembly at the end of last year, which includes consideration of referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court, and discussion at the UN Security Council for two consecutive years, a resolution against North Korea was adopted by the UN Human Rights Council last March. The resolution includes a strong request that a group of experts be established to recommend mechanisms of accountability for the “crimes against humanity” in North Korea.
 Cooperation of the international community led by the UN is essential to urge North Korea to take concrete and sincere actions. The aim of this symposium is to find a way for the international community to cooperate in working towards improving the human rights situation in North Korea as soon as possible.
  We hope that the symposium will generate further progress in the resolution of human rights violations by North Korea, including the abduction issue.

 The details of the symposium are as follows:  
  Date & Time: May 4th, 2016 (Wed) 10:00 – 12:00 (Doors Open at 9:30)  
  Venue: Conference Room 11, UN Headquarters (New York City, the United States)  
  Program:【Moderator: Prof. Robert Boynton, New York University】
    1. Opening Remarks by Katsunobu Kato, Minister in charge of the Abduction Issue, Government of  
      Japan
    2. Appeal by Victims:
      (1) Family Member of an Abductee: Mr. Takuya Yokota (Secretary-General of Association of
       Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea)  
     (2) Family Member of a missing Japanese possibly related to North Korea: Mr. Shoichi Osawa
     (3) Defector from North Korea: Mr. Oh Sehyok
    3. Panel Discussion
      ・ Presentation by Mr. Marzuki Darusman, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human
       Rights in the DPRK (Former COI member)
      ・ Presentation by Mr. Robert King, United States Special Envoy for North Korean Human
        Rights Issues
      ・ Presentation by Ms. Param-Preet Signh, Senior Counsel of International Justice Program of
        Human Rights Watch
      ・ Q&A Session
    4. Closing Remarks by Minister Katsunobu Kato
 
   ※Views expressed by speakers who are not from the GoJ do not necessarily reflect the views of
     the GoJ.

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