Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations

Human Rights

The Republic of Korea upholds human rights as one of its core foreign policy principles and has actively participated in the international community’s efforts to promote and protect human rights around the world. As a country that has achieved economic development, democratization, and improvement in human rights within a span of one generation, the Republic of Korea aims to contribute to the international human rights agenda based on its national development experience.

Currently, Korea is a member of the Executive Board of UN Women, the Commission for Social Development, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, as well as being a State Party to core international human rights treaties*, actively participating in and contributing to human rights discussions and activities in the UN.​

* International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

In addition, the Republic of Korea is doing its part in the human rights agenda by actively participating in the UN human rights mechanisms. Particularly, a number of Korean experts are currently serving as members to the UN human rights treaty bodies such as the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The Republic of Korea seeks to actively support Korean experts to build presence in international human rights mechanisms as a part of its contribution to global efforts to protect and promote human rights.

In its UN human rights activities, the Republic of Korea attaches special importance in promoting and protecting human rights of vulnerable groups who could potentially be left behind in the national development process, such as persons with disabilities and women and girls. Accordingly, the Republic of Korea has co-sponsored and taken part in the drafting of human rights resolutions focused on those vulnerable groups. The Republic of Korea has also contributed to mainstreaming human rights in the UN system, including supporting the “Human Rights Up Front Initiative” and establishing the Accessibility Centres at UN offices in New York and Bangkok for persons with disabilities. The Republic of Korea has also served as a Co-Chair of the Steering Committee on Accessibility during 73rd and 74th sessions of the UN General Assembly, which aims to improve accessibility within the UN premises for persons with disabilities. Furthermore, the Republic of Korea has served as the Vice Chair of the Third Committee at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly and as the Vice Chair of the 65-66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the nation’s standing in the human rights agenda.

Additionally, the Republic of Korea approaches country-specific human rights initiatives in the UN from the standpoint of universal protection and promotion of human rights, and actively participates in related discussions and the Universal Periodic Review process at the Human Rights Council.

Meanwhile, the DPRK human rights issue is discussed through two primary channels: annual resolutions adopted at the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. Since the adoption of a resolution on the human rights situation in the DPRK for the first time at the 59th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights (now replaced by Human Rights Council) in 2003, the DPRK human rights resolution has been adopted at the UN General Assembly since 2005. The Korean Government, upholding universal values such as human rights, is striving to garner the international community’s interest on the human rights situation of the North Korean people and is closely cooperating with the UN and the international community to help improve the situation. Particularly, ahead of the tenth anniversary of the release of the report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the DPRK in 2014, the Republic of Korea – as a co-sponsor – has actively participated in the intergovernmental consultations on the UN General Assembly resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK. Simultaneously, the Republic of Korea is striving to promote discussions on the DPRK human rights situation at the UN, such as the Security Council.

Furthermore, in May 2020, the Republic of Korea initiated the launch of the ‘Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security’ with the aim of strengthening multilateral cooperation within the UN system in responding to COVID-19 and other global health security challenges. Co-chaired by Canada, Denmark, the Republic of Sierra Leone, and the State of Qatar, the Group is providing a platform for UN Member States to exchange views on how to respond to COVID-19 and other global health security problems and to strengthen solidarity and multilateralism in this regard. 

Humanitarian Assistance

​Humanitarian Assistance aims at saving lives and protecting the basic dignity and human rights of those affected by poverty, diseases, natural and man-made disasters, and armed conflicts. As a responsible member of the international community, the Republic of Korea (ROK) supports and participates in the collective efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, in compliance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.

Korea has formulated national, legal, and institutional frameworks for a systematic provision of humanitarian assistance. These include the “Overseas Emergency Relief Act (March 2007),” “Basic Overseas Emergency Relief Measures (January 2018),” “ROK’s Humanitarian Assistance Strategy (June 2019),” and “Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus Operationalization Strategy(March 2021).” In the selection of recipient countries, the Korean government prioritizes demand-driven humanitarian assistance in addition to considering multiple factors, such as the size and severity of disasters, national capacity of affected countries, appeals from the international community, including the UN, and assistance provided by other donor countries. In February 2020, the Republic of Korea joined the Grand Bargain, an agreement between the donors and aid providers for the increased effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian assistance, and does its part to implement its commitments by providing flexible and predictable humanitarian funds.

The Korean government has been making great efforts to provide timely and effective humanitarian assistance to the countries affected by natural disasters, protracted crises, including Ukraine, Myanmar, Yemen, and Syria, and the countries hit hard by diseases such as COVID-19, through both bilateral and multilateral channels, including UN agencies. To this end, Korea has contributed to the mitigation of humanitarian crises caused by natural disasters, conflicts, displacement, and diseases. It has also contributed to the protection and capacity building of the most vulnerable groups, such as women and girls, refugees and children, particularly by providing assistance on health, education, and the prevention of and response to Gender-based Violence (GBV).

Korea will continue its efforts to increase its budget for international humanitarian assistance and actively engage in relevant discussions.