The unification ministry has signaled it may forgo publishing its annual North Korea human rights report for the first time since its introduction in 2018.

A ministry official told reporters Tuesday that while various options are under review, the lack of new testimonies since last year’s report is a key factor.

Around 200 North Korean defectors enter the South each year, but most have spent up to a decade or more in third countries such as China, resulting in limited updates on the current situation inside the North.

Although the report is not legally mandated, the 2016 North Korean Human Rights Act requires the government to conduct annual surveys on the North’s human rights conditions, with the findings compiled into a report since 2018.

While the ministry cites practical challenges, the move is also seen as possibly reflecting concerns over Pyongyang’s reaction.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said during his confirmation hearing last month that using human rights issues to attack the North’s regime is inappropriate and violates the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, under which the two sides resolved not to interfere in each other’s internal affairs.