UN envoy says dialogue, legal framework necessary for North Korea abductions

Jan 27, 2016 Following the 2002 abduction of 13 Japanese national by North Korea, the United Nations Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman recently insisted that dialogue along with a legal framework are the tools needed to resolve the issues.

Five of the abductees and their families were later returned to Japan; however North Korea said that the remaining eight were dead.

Speaking to journalist at the United Nations University in Tokyo, Darusman said:

“It was all the more important for the international community to step up efforts to engage with the DPRK in human rights dialogue while seeking to ensure accountability,”

In early 2015, Japan decided to extend sanctions on North Korea for two years in response to their delay in reporting on its investigation into the abductions.

“Resolving the abduction issue is a matter of urgency. The families of victims are advancing in age, and I am disappointed that there has been no concrete progress since Japan and the DPRK signed a bilateral agreement almost two years ago to work towards a resolution of this issue,”