North Korean defector says female soldiers are used as ‘sex tools’

Lee So Yeon, who joined the military in 1992, escaped the regime in 2007 and now lives in South Korea.

ut she still fears for the safety of other female soldiers who have not been able to get out.

‘I have seen some female soldiers who were made to leave the military after being sexually assaulted,’ she said during a human rights discussion in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday.

‘Even I, myself, have experienced executive officers and commanders coming up to me to “adore” me, which means touching my hip, body, or neck.

‘However, I had no idea it was sexual harassment since I’ve never received a sexual education before.’

Lee said during her military service her period disappeared for three years due to hard labour, physical training and lack of food.

She added: ‘Currently, there are about 180,000 female soldiers living in North Korea, and they are in the military service for seven years, which is the longest in the world.

‘They are turned into mere sexual tools and are sexually assaulted by the authority set up by the country.’

She runs the New Korea Women’s Union, which fights for women who have defected from North Korea.

But she was concerned the problem wasn’t being addressed quickly enough by the international community.

The UN Human Rights Council will look at a Special Rapporteur’s report on human rights in North Korea today.

Women in the country have to serve a seven-year compulsory term in the military.

Writer: Jimmy Nsubuga for Metro.co.uk