North Korean Defector Files Historic Lawsuit Against Kim Jong Un for Human Rights Abuses

In an unprecedented legal move, North Korean defector Choi Min-kyung has filed both civil and criminal lawsuits against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and four other officials, accusing them of severe human rights violations including sexual abuse, physical assault, and torture during her detention in North Korea.

Choi, who now resides in South Korea, was forcibly repatriated to North Korea in 2008 after fleeing to China in 1997. During her imprisonment in a detention center in Onsong county, she endured horrific abuses for five months before escaping again in 2012. She currently leads a group representing families of North Korean detainees and suffers ongoing psychological trauma from her ordeal.

The lawsuits, submitted to the Seoul Central District Court and Prosecutors’ Office with the support of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB), mark the first time a North Korean-born victim has taken legal action against the regime. The criminal complaint charges Kim and other officials with violations under international criminal law.

Choi expressed a deep sense of responsibility to hold the Kim dynasty accountable for crimes against humanity. “I hope this legal action draws domestic and international attention to the issue of human rights in North Korea,” she said. “This small step can become a foundation for restoring freedom and human dignity so that no more innocent North Koreans suffer under this brutal regime.”

NKDB plans to escalate the case to international bodies, including the United Nations human rights council and the International Criminal Court, aiming to increase global pressure on Pyongyang.

This lawsuit comes amid heightened international scrutiny of North Korea’s human rights record and illicit activities, including recent U.S. actions against North Korean cyber operations targeting American companies.

While South Korean courts have previously issued symbolic rulings against North Korea in similar cases, this is the first to combine civil and criminal charges brought by a defector born in the North, signaling a new chapter in legal efforts to challenge the regime’s abuses.

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