On this page, you will find:
- information on refugee protection in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- information for asylum seekers on how to apply for asylum in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- a list of organisations providing legal assistance in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
- a list of organisations providing other types of assistance to refugees
To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our Democratic People’s Republic of Korea LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For Democratic People’s Republic of Korea country of origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our Democratic People’s Republic of Korea COI page.
Refugee protection
There is no reliable data on the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea).
The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which North Korea is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.
North Korea is not a state party to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, or 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
However, North Korea has ratified several international legal instruments that relate to treatment of refugees, including the:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which sets out protections for a wide range of human rights, including freedom from torture and other cruel or unusual punishment, fair trial rights, equality, and non-discrimination.
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which ensures the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights to education, fair and just working conditions, adequate standards of living, social security, and the highest attainable standard of health.
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which protects children’s rights and obliges public bodies to consider children’s best interests.
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which sets out provisions to ensure women’s full enjoyment of human rights on an equal basis with men.
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which seeks to eliminate disability discrimination and safeguard the rights of disabled people.
While the country is not party to key international refugee protection instruments, North Korea is obligated to respect the international customary legal principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits any country from deporting any person to a country where they face the threat of persecution.
Due to lack of transparency, we have not identified any information on the refugee framework and Refugee Status Determination process in North Korea.
According to a 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) report (summarised by Human Rights Watch), authorities in North Korea restrict its citizens’ (as well as foreigners’) right to freedom of movement and residence within the country. Furthermore, North Korea citizens are subject to restrictions on foreign travel that in practice amount to a virtual travel ban on ordinary citizens.
We have not identified any formalised asylum procedures in North Korea.
Legal aid organisations
We have not yet identified any NGO or law firm that offers refugees legal assistance in North Korea. We would welcome suggestions for individuals or organisations. If you have any suggestions, please get in touch.
Organisations providing other support to refugees
While we have not identified any organisations that provide support to third-country refugees in North Korea, we have identified the following organisations that do provide support to North Koreans (including those who are seeking to escape the country), as well as North Korean refugees, e.g., in China and South Korea.
Website (Korean/English)
Facebook / X
Address: #1801, 53 Chungjeong-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 2 723 1672
Email: nkhr@naver.com
NKHR is a Seoul-based NGO that advocates for the human rights of the people of North Korea. NKHR campaigns domestically and internationally for improved human rights and provides assistance to North Korean refugees and those who have re-settled in South Korea. NKHR’s work for North Korean refugees includes advocating for better treatment of North Korean refugees in third countries and raising awareness about North Korean human rights violations.
Website (Korean/English)
Facebook / Instagram / X
Address: 115 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea 04768
Address: 115 Pine Ave Ste 210, Long Beach, California, USA 90802
Tel (Korea): +82 106 82 65990 / Tel (USA): +82 310 212 7190
Email (Korea): rok@libertyinnorthkorea.org / Email (USA): info@libertyinnorthkorea.org
LiNK is an international non-profit organisation focused on the human rights situation in North Korea. It rescues North Korean refugees without cost or condition and provides crucial resettlement support during this period of transition. Furthermore, LiNK is developing initiatives to empower North Koreans inside the country with outside information by devising strategies to increase the flow of information into North Korea. Finally, LiNK invests in building the capacity of North Koreans to be leaders and changemakers, equipping them with the tools and skills to advocate this issue.
Website
Address: Helping Hands Korea, KPO Box 677, Seoul, 110-110, Republic of Korea
Email: tapkorea@gmail.com
Helping Hands Korea (HHK) endeavors to support the most vulnerable sectors in North Korea (DPRK) society as well as those who have fled the DPRK and are living clandestinely as refugees living in China. In cases where North Korean refugees face imminent danger of forced repatriation, HHK facilitates the evacuation of refugees to safe third countries where their rights as refugees are respected. HHK provides food, clothing, medicines and nutritional supplements to those living at greatest risk within North Korea, including orphaned children, school children in impoverished areas, the handicapped, the elderly and single parents. HHK makes a special effort to lend practical assistance to those citizens whose right to religious freedom has been severely curtailed. The East Asia-based organisation also provides foster care and supplementary stipend aid for children in China who have become orphaned when their North Korean mothers, victims of human trafficking, experience life-threatening forcible repatriation from China to the DPRK.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea LGBTQI+ Resources
Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea COI
Find Democratic People's Republic of Korea Country of Origin information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents.
We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.
Last updated February 2026
