Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks faced by North Korean refugees who are sent back to North Korea.

Despite claims by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that forcibly repatriated refugees are well treated and reintegrated into DPRK society, it is clear from UN and NGO reports that they are often mistreated by the authorities. The UN Human Rights Council resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, which the UK cosponsored in April 2023, urges the DPRK to ensure their citizens who are expelled or repatriated to the country are able to return in safety, dignity and are treated humanely.