NKHR to Organize and Host the Global Supply Chain Due Diligence Forum to Advance Discussion on Transparency and Accountability in High-Risk Supply Chains

Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) Launches Ethical Trade & Transparency Hub to Advance Accountability in High-Risk Supply Chains

[Seoul, 26 June, 2026] The Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR) will host the ‘Global Supply Chain Due Diligence Forum: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in High-Risk Supply Chains’ on Wednedsday, July 1 2026 (9:00 - 16:45 KST) in Seoul. The Forum brings together representatives of the United Nations, the European Union, the OECD diplomatic missions, business associations and international civil society to discuss forced labor, human rights abuses, and sanctions risks embedded in high-risk supply chains, as well as the growing gap between policy commitments and effective enforcement of regulations.

The Forum will explore how governments, businesses, and civil society can strengthen transparency, accountability, and due diligence in response to these growing risks. Discussions will draw on case studies from some of the highest-risk supply chain environments currently facing South Korean corporations and global markets. These include forced labor in Xinjiang/China and its exposure to global supply chains, or the specific risks for South Korean businesses with exposure to Russian and Chinese trade corridors within a broader geopolitical context shaped by the war in Ukraine and North Korean threats. The Forum places particular emphasis on civil society expertise: organizations including Transparency International Russia/Arctida, China Labor Watch, the Coalition to End Uyghur Forced Labour, and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and Data Desk will bring field-level evidence on how forced labor, corruption, and sanctions evasion operate within these specific supply chains. Contributions will also come from the UN Human Rights Office Seoul and the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea, alongside the OECD Korean National Contact Point and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with Congratulatory meesage from Lord David Alton, Co-Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea, UK Parliament.  The Forum will also mark the launch of the NKHR Ethical Trade & Transparency Hub, a new initiative established as part of the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights’ 30th anniversary. The launch complements the Forum's broader objective of strengthening transparency, due diligence, and accountability in high-risk supply chains through evidence-based dialogue and stakeholder engagement. The Hub reflects the evolving nature of North Korea’s human rights abuses and their growing connection to international trade, supply chains, and security challenges. The Hub will serve as an evidence-based platform for governments, businesses, and civil society organizations seeking to better understand and address risks linked to forced labor, state-linked abuses, sanctions evasion, and opaque commercial networks operating within high-risk supply chains. The initiative will also showcase partner research related to China, Russia, and Ukraine, reflecting the interconnected regional dynamics that shape supply chain risks affecting South Korea and East Asia.