The National Human Rights Commission of Korea welcomes that the UN Human Rights Council adopted without vote a resolution on North Korean human rights at the 31st Session on March 23, 2016.
The resolution calls to instituting an ‘expert group’ to formulate measures to verify those responsible for human rights violation against North Korean people. The Commission expects that the expert group will be able to devise practical measures to put an end to the practice of impunity on perpetrators of human rights infringements.
The UN Human Rights Council in years past also adopted such resolutions on North Korean human rights without a vote in 2012 and 2013, and through a vote in 2014 and 2015. The fact that there was no need to vote this time reflects that members of the international community agree on the issues regarding North Korean human rights.
North Korea should engage in international community’s discussion on human rights and to cooperate with related institutions including the UN to enhance human rights situation. In addition, it should continue to have a dialogue with the South Korean government regarding urgent human rights issues such as separated families, abductees, and war prisoners.
The Commission is also making efforts to let the world know human rights situation in North Korea by hosing international symposium on North Korean human rights. It will continue to step up its efforts to enhance human rights situation in North Korea by closely cooperating with the international community.
