A/HRC/16/58 I. Introduction 1. The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was first established by the Commission on Human Rights in 2004, under resolution 2004/13. Since then, it has been extended annually. As requested under the resolution, the Special Rapporteur submits two reports, one to the Human Rights Council and another to the General Assembly. This is the current Special Rapporteur’s first substantial report to the Human Rights Council since his appointment in August 2010. It draws on his first visits to the region. His first report to the General Assembly mainly presented the broad methodology that he wished to adopt in carrying out his mandate. 2. Besides providing an overview of the current situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Special Rapporteur has also given key conclusions and recommendations for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the international community. II. Methodology 3. The Special Rapporteur relied on a number of sources in gathering information in order to prepare a report that was as inclusive as possible and capturing diverse ideas. The Special Rapporteur conducted two missions to the region, the first to the Republic of Korea (22–26 November 2010) and the second to Japan (25–28 January 2011). The purpose of his visits was to assess the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as it impacts on the Republic of Korea and Japan. The Special Rapporteur has combined the observations and information he gathered during the field missions with reports, interviews, briefing papers gathered by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), United Nations offices and numerous other reliable sources. In both these countries, the Special Rapporteur met with the Government officials, NGOs, United Nations offices and victims of human rights abuses from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 4. The Special Rapporteur’s decision to travel to the Republic of Korea and Japan was in lieu of his request for access the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Between his appointment and his mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan, the Special Rapporteur has requested for meetings with Democratic People’s Republic of Korea officials based in New York and Geneva. He has written to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea authorities requesting access to the country, which was denied. However, this negative response will not deter the Special Rapporteur from attempting to gain access to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or engaging with the authorities in the future. 5. During his mission to the Republic of Korea, the Special Rapporteur held meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minister for Unification Policy, members of the Inter-Parliamentarians’ Coalition for North Korean Refugees and Human Rights and the Director General of the Human Rights Bureau of the Ministry of Justice. He also met with representatives of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and national and international NGOs, diplomats and other relevant individuals. 6. He was briefed on a number of issues, such as abductions, separated families, violations of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, trafficking of persons and the abuses that asylum-seekers experience en route to the Republic of Korea, the situation of refugees and the current state of multiparty meetings, which have implications for the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 3