North Korean defector sues Kim Jong-un

A woman named Choi Min Kyung, who fled from North Korea and later endured severe hardships, has filed a criminal lawsuit against the country’s leader Kim Jong Un in a Seoul court. Her statement has drawn great interest from human rights activists and the international community, reported bbc.com.

According to reports, Choi Min Kyung fled to China in 1997 but was forcibly repatriated to North Korea in 2008. Upon her return, she was arrested and subjected to sexual violence, torture, and humiliation in prison. She stated that these traumatic experiences caused lasting psychological damage, and she is still dependent on medication.

It wasn’t until 2012 that she managed to escape North Korea again and settle in South Korea. Now, on July 11, 2025, she has officially filed a civil and criminal lawsuit against Kim Jong Un and four other high-ranking officials in Seoul.

She is receiving support from a human rights group called the North Korean Human Rights Database Center (NKDB), which also plans to take the case to the UN and the International Criminal Court.

In her statement, Choi said: “I sincerely hope this small step becomes a foundation for restoring freedom and human dignity. Innocent North Koreans must no longer suffer under this brutal regime. As a torture survivor, I take it as my duty to hold the Kim dynasty accountable for crimes against humanity.”

In recent years, South Korean courts have issued symbolic rulings against North Korea's leadership. For example, in 2023, a Seoul court ordered 36,000 dollars to be collected from North Korean citizens, and in 2024, North Korea's government was ordered to pay 100 million won each to five Japanese-Korean defectors. Pyongyang has ignored both cases.

Choi Min Kyung’s lawsuit is seen not only as her personal case but also as a strong statement against North Korea’s dark record of human rights abuses. Her bravery could give hope to other victims. Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!