ANNUAL REPORT 2015 to comprehend how the defectors are being treated and protected and to request for more support from the local authorities. In addition, the Commission visited the UK and Germany from December 10th to the 16th to figure out why many North Korean defectors take refuge in Europe and how they have settled there, and to strengthen its cooperation with the local NGOs related to North Korean human rights. ■ Face-to-face meetings and cooperation with major figures To exchange insights and interest with them, the Commission had face-to-face meetings with major figures, including: Krzysztof Ignacy Majka, Poland Ambassador to Korea; Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Marzuki Darusman, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation; Robert King, US Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights issues; Signe Poulson, the head of UN OHCHR in Seoul; Michael Kirby, former Chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in North Korea; and Sonja Biserko, a fellow member of the COI on North Korean human rights. 4) Strengthening Domestic Cooperation ■ North Korean Human Rights Forum Since May of 2008, the Commission has been operating the North Korean Human Rights Forum with North Korean human rights experts from academia, legal circles, press, and civil rights groups. Through the forum, the Commission works hard to develop North Korean human rights policies, strengthen cooperation networks, and promote more active discussion on the matters in society. As the two-year service term of existing forum committee members expired in 2015, the Commission newly appointed 43 committee members and held four quarterly forums throughout the year. The Commission discussed “expected major issues in North Korean human rights in 2015” at the 26th forum held on April 3rd, the “right to cultural activities for North Koreans” at the 27th forum on June 19th, “strategies for inter-Korean dialogue on human rights” at the 28th forum on September 11th, and “improving North Korean human rights through inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation” at the 29th forum on November 27th. 74 | National Human Rights Commission of Korea