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North Korean defector sues Kim over torture in detention facilities
The Guardian
|July 12, 2025
A North Korean defector has filed a lawsuit against Kim Jong-un in a South Korean court, alleging torture and sexual violence in the regime's detention facilities.
Choi Min-kyung, 53, is seeking 50m won (£27,000) in damages from the North Korean state represented by its leader, Kim, and six other officials. She has also submitted a criminal complaint asking prosecutors to investigate charges of crimes against humanity against Kim and five other officials.
The filings at Seoul's central district court and prosecutors' office yesterday will represent what supporters say is the first time a North Korean defector has pursued legal action in South Korea for the regime's human rights violations.
"It's been 13 years since I settled in South Korea but I still suffer from severe PTSD from torture after-effects, and live dependent on medication," Choi told the Guardian. "The scars on my entire body testify to the horrific reality of North Korean human rights."
This story is from the July 12, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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