Kim Joo Il claims he is the first North Korean defector to have raised human rights issues directly to a member of the country’s leadership.

In 2011, Kim met Korean Workers Party politburo member and chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly Choe Thae Bok by arrangement of the British government.

He brought up the issue of concentration camps with Choe, but did not receive an answer.

If true, it’s one of many firsts for the outspoken proprietor of a UK-based newspaper speaking out against human rights violations in the North. It also won’t be the last bit of ground he