DPRK Permanent Rep. Sends Letter to UN Secretary General

   Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- Ja Song Nam, permanent representative of the DPRK to the United Nations, sent a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on January 27.
    The letter said:
    I have the honor of writing to you to draw your attention to the enticed group abduction of DPRK citizens by the south Korean authorities, which constitutes a contemporary form of human rights violation deserving international condemnation but still remains being connived.
    As already known, the south Korean authorities, engrossed with the smear campaign against the DPRK, let the agents of NIS (National Intelligence Service) commit the heinous terrorist act of alluring and abducting the DPRK's women citizens in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province of China in broad daylight in early April 2016 to south Korea.
    In this regards I would like to recall my letter sent to your predecessor dated May 17, 2016, asking for an urgent action for the repatriation of the abducted DPRK women citizens and the letters from the families of the abductees sent respectively twice to the President of the Human Right Council (as enclosed in the Note Verbales of the DPRK Permanent Mission in Geneva Ref. No. 0036 dated 22 April, 2016 and Ref. No. 0077 dated 30 November 2016), and twice to the High Commissioner for Human Rights (as enclosed in the Note Verbales of the DPRK Permanent Mission in Geneva Ref. No. 0037 dated 22 April, 2016 and Ref. No. 0076 dated 30 November, 2016), earnestly appealing for help so that their beloved daughters return home as quickly as possible.
    We cannot but express our disappointment at the fact that no action has been taken by the UN until now as we have entered 2017 without even a reply to our letters.
    The United Nations and its human rights organs, true to their entrusted mandate and duty, will have to respond to the earnest demand of the families of the abductees for bringing the south Korean authorities before the court of justice and having their beloved daughters back to their parents.
    I would like to take this opportunity to urge for an appropriate action by your office for an immediate repatriation of Kim Ryon Hui, a DPRK citizen who has repeatedly appealed through south Korean and international media for help so that she can return home, lamenting herself of having been tricked to south Korea in September 2011.
    The enticed abduction of DPRK citizens by the south Korean authorities constitutes a crime against humanity which has resulted in division of families artificially separating parents and children. Hence how to deal with this case will be a touchstone testing the true stand of the UN for the promotion and protection of human rights.
    We will not cease our struggle until the repatriation of DPRK citizens who were enticed and abducted by the south Korean authorities and will continue to seek any further action as may be required while closely following any step to be taken by the UN.
    I look forward to receiving your positive reply concerning this issue. -0-