Seventy-five years ago, on June 25, 1950, Kim Il-sung’s troops invaded South Korea,triggering a fratricidal war that resulted in 2.5 to 3 million military and civilian casualtiesas well as massive internal displacement of the Korean population. Through thesacrifice of half a million South Korean troops, 37,000 U.S. servicemen and women, andthousands of soldiers from other UN member states serving under the UN Command,and through the leadership of President Syngman Rhee and other Korean patriots, theRepublic of Korea survived the greatest catastrophe in the history of the Korean people.Following the July 27, 1953 armistice, through great efforts, sacrifice, talent, innovation,and nurturing a capitalist market economy, South Korea has thrived, becoming aflourishing and prosperous democracy, and a global economic powerhouse. ReinforcingSouth Korean economic success, K-pop, K-cinema, K-dramas and K-cuisine havebecome a global cultural phenomenon. In sharp contrast, the people of North Koreacontinue to suffer from severe human insecurity under the yoke of tyranny of thedynastic Kim family regime kleptocracy. On this grim anniversary, HRNK pledges to continue our mission of doing what NorthKorea’s leadership fears the most: Finding out and telling the truth about the crimesagainst humanity and other horrendous human rights violations perpetrated against thepeople of North Korea and citizens of other countries, pursuant to policy directivesissued at the highest level of the Kim regime. On this day, HRNK remembers the SouthKorean POWs still being held in North Korea and the Korean families separated by theKorean War. On this day of remembrance, we confidently state that there is one ultimateresolution of

Greg Scarlatoiu, President and CEO of HRNK, Testifies at First-Ever UN General Assembly High-Level Plenary Meeting on North Korean Human Rights Greg Scarlatoiu, President and CEO of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) delivered powerful testimony on May 20 at the first-ever High-Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly dedicated to the human rights situation in North Korea. In his 15-minute address, Scarlatoiu emphasized that “North Korea’s egregious human rights violations are not merely a domestic issue, but a threat to international peace and security,” warning that “the North Korean regime exports violence and instability to countries such as China and those in Europe.” He specifically highlighted the clear connections between North Korea’s internal repression, nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development, and its support for armed conflicts abroad. Scarlatoiu stated that the North Korean regime endangers global stability by providing weapons to terrorist organizations and authoritarian governments, thus contributing to international insecurity. He noted that this goes beyond mere military support—it is a systemic factor that undermines global peace. He also testified that North Korea exploits its citizens through forced labor in harsh environments overseas, with the earnings funneled back to fund its nuclear and missile programs. He revealed the regime’s use of a rigid caste system (songbun) to classify and discriminate against its own people, and stressed that under this structure, all fundamental freedoms—freedom of speech, religion, and assembly—are severely suppressed. He stressed the need to move beyond viewing North Korea solely through the