International recognition

Growing awareness within the international community

The abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea is a clear and grave violation of human dignity, human rights and basic freedom, a view which is gaining greater currency within the international community. The following examples are token of the clear support and understanding within the International Community to the efforts by the GoJ as well as for recognition of the importance to resolve the abduction issue.

(1) UN resolutions

Since 2003, the "Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" was adopted by the UN Commission of Human Rights for 3 consecutive years. In 2005 and 2006, the UN General Assembly adopted the "Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea" in its plenary session. In particular, in 2006, the resolution was further reinforced by a new clause that stated that the abductions are "an international concern and a violation of human rights of citizens of sovereign states".

(2) UN reports

In February 2005, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn visited Japan and met with the family members of the abductees. In his report issued in the same year, the Rapporteur called on North Korea to take immediate and effective measures in order redress its illegal activities including the abductions of foreign nationals.

(3) Statement by the Secretary General

In May 2006, the then Secretary General Kofi Annan stated that North Korea must give an explanation to alleviate the anguish of the victims of abduction by North Korea during his visit to the Republic of Korea in May 2006.

(4) G8 summit

The GoJ has successfully stressed the importance of resolving the abduction issue at the G8 summit in 2006 and 2007 consecutively. In particular, at the Heiligendamm Summit of 2007, Prime Minister Abe stressed that the abduction issue was an international matter which requires a firm response from the Group of Eight countries through close coordination. This initiative resulted in the adoption of the following forceful message: "We also urge North Korea to respond to other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community, including the early resolution of the issue of abductions."

(5) Increasing attention towards the possibility of abductees from other countries

Testimonies given by the Japanese abductees and their spouses who successfully returned to Japan have contributed to spurring international attention towards the possibility of abductees of other countries including those of Thai, Romania and Lebanon.

In May 2006, DNA tests indicated that Ms. Megumi Yokota's husband was most likely to be an abductee from the Republic of Korea, which led to the families of the abductees paying mutual visits to their countries and uniting their efforts to recover their loved ones.

Such international awareness has continued to grow, and in December 2006, the families of the abductees and NGOs from various countries converged on the "The North Korean Human Rights Abuses Awareness Week" (*1) in Japan to attend conferences and symposiums(*2).

*1	The "law to address the abduction issue and other North Korean human rights violations" ﾂwhich came into effect in June 2006 designates Dec. 10th-16th as the annual North Korean Human Rights Violations Enlightenment Week.
*2	This includes the international conference jointly hosted by the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKN) and the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea (NARKN).

(6) Others

In April 2006, the families of the abductees revisited the USA to call for understanding and to underscore the importance of resolving this issue. Through their testimony in the House of Representatives subcommittee and their meeting with President Bush of the United States, they won the hearts and sympathy of the American public and sent a strong message to the international community. President Bush expressed his renewed support and stated that "If North Korea expects to be respected in the world, that country must respect human rights and human dignity and must allow this mother to hug her child again".

In addition to the above, the Government of the United States of America also refers to the abductions of Japanese and South Korean citizens as it continues to designate North Korea as a terrorism sponsoring state. in their current 2006 annual terrorism report.