Overview

• UNGA President Philemon Yang confirmed the Assembly will host its first self-led high-level meeting on North Korea’s human rights on May 20, 2025.
• This meeting is convened under a December 2024 resolution, aimed at addressing and scrutinizing Pyongyang’s documented human rights abuses.
• It will be the first time the General Assembly itself leads such a discussion, distinguishing it from prior efforts led by other UN bodies or member states.
• South Korea’s foreign ministry is currently determining its representation at the meeting, with options including senior officials or its UN envoy.
• The session seeks to re-focus international attention on North Korea’s rights violations, as no new UN sanctions against Pyongyang have been adopted since 2018.