- The two sides discussed ways to collaborate to promote the North Korean human rights situation and emphasized the importance of defectors' roles in that regard. -

1. Director-General for Korean Peninsula Policy Lee Jun-il met with United States Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Julie Turner on the afternoon of July 11 during her visit to the Republic of Korea. They shared assessments of the North Korean human rights situation and discussed measures for cooperation between the ROK and the U.S. to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

2. Both the ROK and the U.S. noted with appreciation that the UN Security Council’s open briefing on the North Korean human rights situation on June 12 was held successfully based on the close bilateral coordination. They agreed to optimize multilateral opportunities, including the UN General Assembly Third Committee meeting in September and North Korea’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November, in order to raise awareness on the North Korean human rights issue.

3. Director-General Lee highlighted the ROK government’s efforts to increase domestic and international awareness of protecting and embracing North Korean defectors as “reunification that came in advance,” including the establishment of the “North Korean Defectors’ Day” (July 14) this year. He expressed appreciation for Special Envoy's consistent communication with North Korean defectors both in the ROK and abroad as well as dedication to issues concerning abductees, detainees and unrepatriated prisoners of war.

4. Both sides acknowledged the vital role of North Korean defectors in improving the North Korean human rights situation and agreed to closely explore measures to address North Korea's forced labor issues and expand engagement with the Global South on the North Korean human rights issue.

5. The ROK and the U.S. previously held two rounds of consultations on North Korean human rights (November 15, 2023, and April 15, 2024) and have closely coordinated on the issue through consultations during mutual visits. This meeting marked the first director-general-level consultation between the two countries on the issue following the reorganization into the Korean Peninsula Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in May. Director-General Lee held the first bilateral director-general level consultation on North Korean human rights with Canada on May 31.