Relatives of people kidnapped by North Korean agents formed an international group on Monday to work together on a range of activities including realizing the release of abductees and demanding compensation from Pyongyang. The International Coalition for Resolution of the North Korean Abduction is headed by Shigeo Iizuka, 69, who serves as chairman of the Japanese Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea. Members of the international association include people from Japan and South Korea.

The group was launched at an international conference held by relatives of abductees in Tokyo to mark the start in Japan of a government-designated “week to promote awareness of rights violations by North Korea.”

The newly launched group adopted a statement opposing a possible move by the United States to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism unless the abduction issue is resolved.