British Ambassador to Korea Scott Wightman welcomes guests at the embassy compound where the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) released its latest report on women's rights in North Korea, June 28. / Korea Times photo by Kim Se-jeong



By Kim Se-jeong



Disabled people in North Korea are being subjected to biological and chemical weapons tests, according to a report on North Korean human rights report released last week.

"There is an island with ‘Hospital 83' to which disabled persons are being sent for medical tests such as dissection of body parts, as well as tests of biological and chemical weapons," stated the report citing a former official of the People's Safety Agency in North Korea.

The document, titled "Status of Women's Rights in the Context of Socio-Economic Changes in the DPRK" was written by the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) after a series of interviews with 60 female defectors who left the North between 2010 and 2012. The project was sponsored by the British Embassy.

Human rights activist Kim Sang-hun, who is also the chairman of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, reinforced the testimony quoting three defectors he met.

"All three have been at the site of the test. And I have their testimonies." He also said the island is believed to be on the Yalu River. The river separates North Korea from China.

The report also states that chronic poverty in North Korea has contributed to the rise of women's rights because authorities allow women to engage in small-scale trade.

Such women, now even use money to bribe public officials to effect change in society. "For example, women pay judges to get divorces done," said Joanna Hosaniak, author of the report and an activist at the NKHR.

Also, money can buy a seat in the political party, which women attempt to do to help improve life for themselves or for their children.

There are very few details on the laws pertaining to the rights for women and children adopted in 2010, and implementation of the legislation is very poor, said Hosaniak.

The annual report is the third to be sponsored by the British Embassy. The funding is part of the British government's budget allocated to further raise awareness of human rights around the world.

A flagship project in South Korea is the provision of free English education for defectors from North Korea.

Launched in 2010, the British Council has given free lessons to more than 100 defector students. In July, seven students will travel to the U.K. to attend language schools through the summer.

The British government's Chevening Scholarship also provides funds for a defector student every year. This year's recipient will depart for the U.K. soon.