Appointment of New Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK

On June 18, the UN Human Rights Council appointed Marzuki Darusman (Indonesia) as the successor to Vitit Muntarbhorn (Thailand), who has served as Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for the last 6 years, at its 14th session (May 31 – June 18, Geneva). Since the post of Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK was created in 2004 by the UN Commission on Human Rights’ (Human Rights Council’s predecessor) resolution on the situation of human rights in North Korea, the Special Rapporteur’s mandate has been renewed for 1 year every year. Most recently, the mandate was extended for a period of July, 2010 to June, 2011 by the Human Rights Council resolution in March, 2010. In accordance with the Human Rights Council resolution, the current Rapporteur Muntarbhorn’s term of office will expire in late June, and the incoming Rapporteur Darusman will serve from July, 2010 to June, 2011 (1 year). Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 stipulates that a mandate-holder’s tenure in a given function will be no longer than six years. As the incoming Rapporteur Darusman, who served as the Chairman of Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission, Attorney General and a Member of Parliament, has participated in a variety of activities to promote human rights in Asia as well as in Indonesia, he is expected to fulfill his role as Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK competently. The government of the Republic of Korea welcomes the appointment of Marzuki Darusman as new Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK, and will provide strong support to his activities to improve the North Korean human rights situation. Also, the ROK government hopes that he will contribute to substantive improvements in the North Korean human rights conditions through cooperative dialogue and close cooperation with the North Korean authorities.