On October 18, 2024, the Center for Security Policy Studies-Korea (CSPS-Korea) held its first Distinguished Speaker Series in the Fall 2024 semester with Dr. Jinah Kwon, Research Associate at the School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield.
With an interdisciplinary background in sociology, theology, and political science, Dr. Kwon is an expert on issues surrounding North Korea, working on human rights both in academia and various institutions for over 15 years. She previously lectured at Korea University’s College of International Studies and served as a senior research fellow at the Soongsil Institute for Peace and Unification, and in 2023, received the Award of Excellence from the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education of the Republic of Korea. Her Ph.D. dissertation on the migration choices of North Korean women is set to be published in the Palgrave Macmillan Studies on Human Rights in Asia series.
Her talk, titled “Choseon Nyeoseong: The Discrepancy between the Official Discourse on Human Rights and the Lives of Women in North Korea,” presented perspectives into the discrepancy between the socialist ideals and the lived experiences of women in North Korea, despite claims of their rights being protected since the inception of the state.
Focusing on articles from Choseon Nyeoseong, the official magazine of the DPRK Women’s Association, written between 2005 to 2017, and interviews with North Korean defectors, her research unveiled insight into the usage of human rights terminology in North Korea, celebrations of International Women’s Day (38-Day), and disparities in experiences between urban and rural areas. By doing so, she uncovered the capabilities women in North Korea need to overcome these challenges, highlighting the broader disconnect between North Korean and international human rights standards.
CSPS-Korea thanks Dr. Jinah Kwon for sharing her unique research that highlighted the broader disconnect and gaps that exist between North Korean and international human rights standards.