The Republic of Korea (ROK or South Korea) released its second generation National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 implementation in September 2018. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea called in February 2012 for a more systematic and strategic implementation of UNSCR 1325. Based on consensus for the establishment of the National Action Plan, the Government began the process of drafting it in 2012 which was completed in 2014. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has led the government-wide effort to draft the National Action Plan in close cooperation with civil society through a public-private consultative body, made up of representatives from government agencies, civil society, and academia.
The Korean peninsula remains divided, under an armistice agreement resulting from the Korean War. At the same time, the ROK is an active contributor to development cooperation and peacekeeping operations. During WWII, the ROK suffered from grave violations of women’s rights, namely, forced military sexual slavery (typically referred to in this specific context as “comfort women”) by the Japanese Imperial Army. Upon the establishment of the National Action Plan, the ROK Government reaffirms its commitment to raising the awareness of the international community on issues of sexual violence during armed conflict, and to further contributing to the prevention of such violence and protection of the victims.The border between North and South Korea, called the demilitarised zone (DMZ), is the most heavily fortified border in the world.