UN rapporteur for N. Korea human rights to visit S. Korea next week

Elizabeth Salmon, the U.N. special rapporteur for North Korea's human rights, is seen in this file photo taken during her last trip to South Korea in Sept. 2022. Yonhap

Elizabeth Salmon, the U.N. special rapporteur for North Korea's human rights, will visit South Korea next week, diplomatic sources here said Saturday.

The sources said Salmon will be here for about five days from Sunday to attend a conference on North Korean human rights and meet related activist groups.

During the conference, Monday and Tuesday, she will speak about the human rights situation of women and children in the reclusive country and host a session.

She is also scheduled to meet families of six South Korean citizens detained in North Korea early next month to share opinions on the U.N.'s efforts to have them returned to their country

"I understand her visit this time is focused on the issues of North Korean women's rights and South Korean detainees," one of the sources said.

Salmon reportedly has no plan yet to meet ranking South Korean government officials during the visit. (Yonhap)