National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2021 human rights in North Korea. Session 2 on Day 2 held discussions under the topic of “Tasks and directions to promote the rights of North Korean defectors during the settlement process.” Participants, who included North Korean defectors, discussed about the challenges and human rights infringements experienced by defectors during their defection journey, and particularly during the settlement process, and what can be done to address the challenges and limitations. This year’s symposium was attended by the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul, International Committee of the Red Cross and other international human rights institutions, several diplomatic missions in Korea (the United Kingdom, Romania, Australia, and Malaysia), Korea Institute for National Unification, Korea Hana Foundation, Amnesty International, NK Watch and other organizations and groups involved in human rights issues in North Korea, as well as Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Christian Daily, Headline News, and other media outlets in Korea and abroad, showing the high level of interest in human rights situation in North Korea. The discussions offered some important insights from an institutional and policy perspective. They will be further analyzed to inform the Commission’s work related to North Korean human rights. ■ Committee specialized in human rights in North Korea Given the need to take into account the various perspectives on human rights in North Korea, the uniqueness of the inter-Korean relations, and the rapidly changing international environments when dealing with North Korean human rights issues, the Commission launched an advisory committee specialized in human rights in North Korea to leverage expertise and competence in the area. In 2021, the committee met three times to hear opinions on the Commission’s North Korean programs, including North Korean human rights policies to be incorporated into the 4th Human Rights NAP, which will be implemented from 2023, and plans for an international symposium on North Korean human rights, and to discuss policy proposals. 74