Bridging the Policy Gap between North Korean Human Rights and Security Threats

North Korea remains in the international spotlight as Pyongyang and Washington continue to differ over the diplomatic path to denuclearization. Despite the continued focus on the security threat, North Korean human rights are largely absent from policy discussions. To get a better sense of how human rights fits into the Kim regime’s broader strategic calculus, three former members of the North Korean regime will discuss Kim Jong-un's strategy for maintaining power, his nuclear weapons programs, and insights on the current situation within North Korea. Then, a panel of distinguished U.S. experts on North Korea will focus on ways that the U.S. government can better integrate human rights into ongoing negotiations and explore the mechanisms available to hold the North Korean regime accountable for their poor human rights record. This program is part of North Korea Freedom Week, devoted to promoting the freedom, human rights and dignity of the people of North Korea, which first began in 2004.