N. Korea unresponsive to U.N. query on enforced disappearance cases: report

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea remains unresponsive to requests from a U.N. working group for information on more than 300 enforced disappearance cases involving the reclusive country, a U.N. report showed Saturday.

The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has made the requests related to the 362 cases to the North between 1980 and May this year, but there has been no response from Pyongyang, according to its annual report recently submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council.

Enforced disappearance refers to a case of a person going missing after having been arrested, detained or abducted by a government or state-run organization.

"The Working Group again reiterates its serious concern regarding the continuing practice of forced returns of nationals of the Democratic Republic of Korea from third countries," the report read, using the North's official name.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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