Chairperson’s Statement on UN General Assembly’s Adoption of Resolution on Human Rights Situation in DPRK
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea welcomes the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a resolution on the human rights situation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK), co-sponsored by the Republic of Korea and 62 other States, at its 77th session on December 15 2022.
The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution condemning human rights violations in the DPRK for 18 consecutive years from the 60th session in 2005 to the 77th session in 2022, which reflects a shared concern about the grave human rights violations in North Korea.
The resolution recently adopted by the UN General Assembly expresses serious concern over the DPRK’s non-substantive replies to the communications transmitted by the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance and urges the DPRK to ensure that bereaved families and relevant entities are provided with all relevant information and residents who are forcibly expelled or returned to the DPRK are not subjected to human rights violations such as enforced disappearances, arbitrary executions, torture, ill-treatment or trials that do not conform with international norms.
The resolution also notes with grave concern the stricter restrictions on the freedoms of thought, conscience, religion or belief, opinion and expression, and peaceful assembly and association, among other rights and freedoms, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and stresses that humanitarian aid organizations should be granted prompt access to the country given the problem of chronic malnutrition and the need for a continued COVID-19 response.
The Commission is deeply concerned about the dire human rights situation in the DPRK, as stated in the UN General Assembly’s resolution, and hopes that the DPRK actively addresses the issues identified in the resolution through a constructive dialogue and cooperation with the international community.
The Commission will continue to work with the international community to improve the human rights situation of the DPRK.
