The Voice of America reported that a United Nations organization has asked North Korea to provide information on the whereabouts of five North Koreans, whose status is unknown since their arrests.

The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances under the UN Human Rights Council made the demand, saying in its recent report that the living status of the five North Koreans is unknown since they were arrested by North Korean authorities between 2005 and 2011.

The group also demanded the Chinese government provide information on nine North Koreans who were arrested by Chinese authorities and deported to the North.

The UN working group, established in 1980, helps the relatives of disappeared persons find out what has happened to their missing family members by raising individual cases with the government concerned.