In a report released Monday, the United Nations' human rights envoy on North Korea called on Pyongyang to immediately repatriate all abducted individuals, including Japanese.
In his recommendations, special rapporteur Marzuki Darusman requested the North "allow all persons who have been abducted or otherwise forcibly disappeared, as well as their descendants, to return immediately to their countries of origin."
He also called on the country, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, to ensure that an expedited investigation into the fate of the missing is made in a "transparent and verifiable manner."
In the 38-page document, Darusman said he was encouraged by efforts underway between Pyongyang and Tokyo to settle the abduction issue. He also hopes that "rapid progress will be made through this bilateral process" and that it will be "conducted transparently in the interests of the families concerned and the international community as a whole."
The report became available Monday as a Japanese government delegation arrived in Pyongyang for a four-day visit to assess the North's investigation into the fate of Japanese nationals taken decades ago.
Also highlighted by the rapporteur is the issue of accountability under international law for the grave human rights abuses that were detailed in a lengthy report released by a U.N. commission of inquiry in February. Darusman was one of the commission's three members.
Based on that evidence Darusman, in his own report, suggested North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as well as many of his aides, be "held accountable for crimes against humanity."
He repeated the call that the U.N. Security Council should refer the matter to the International Criminal Court.
Darusman was scheduled to deliver his oral report to the U.N. General Assembly's Third Committee, which is charged with overseeing human rights issues, on Tuesday.