HRF Announces New Grants for North Korean Human Rights

NEW YORK (Oct. 3, 2024) — The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce a new set of grants to help strengthen the work of civil society organizations in South Korea focused on improving North Korean human rights, education, and resettlement. This year’s grantees include:

The NGO Council for North Korean Human Rights will host a seminar on promoting human rights in North Korea and the unification of the Korean peninsula. Additionally, a workshop will be held to prepare for the 2025 Seoul World Convention on North Korean Human Rights.

NK Human Rights Corporation (NKHRC) will organize seminars every Tuesday to discuss how to strengthen the North Korean Human Rights Act, which aims to protect the rights of North Korean citizens according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The seminars feature guest speakers that include lawyers, scholars, and defectors.

Korea Young Leaders Forum will be hosting a conference and networking sessions to assist young professionals in expanding their understanding of North Korean human rights issues and exploring practical solutions and new strategies for human rights activism, training the next generation of human rights activists and young professionals.

International Democracy Hub (IDH) will organize a series of concerts by North Korean defectors and South Korean college students to inform various members of South Korean society of the severity of North Korean human rights through music.

The North Korea Baseball Association will shoot a documentary capturing the experiences of defector youths in America.

These organizations cover a wide range of important areas, reflective of the multifaceted nature of North Korean human rights issues today. In addition to the five groups mentioned above, HRF has awarded grants to five more organizations. These projects include validating and evaluating the pre-developed generative AI tool that allows young North Koreans to access global information without an Internet connection, facilitating the flow of information to and from North Korea, the organization of a talk show and concert featuring both South Korean and North Korean musicians to build public support for a free and unified Korea, and supporting students who have defected and who are currently pursuing advanced degrees in the United States.

Over the past 15 years, HRF has led pro-democracy and human rights initiatives to empower North Koreans and defectors, providing activists with the necessary resources, skills, contacts, and platforms to make a difference.

“These grants go to a diverse array of Korea-based civil society organizations,” HRF Korea Desk Director Seongmin Lee said, “and we expect this support to make a meaningful impact in amplifying the voices of defectors and paving the way for a future where all North Koreans can finally enjoy the dignity and respect they deserve.”

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies.

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