Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Year

2023

UN Body

General Assembly

Session

78

Session Type

GA Regular

Symbol

A/RES/78/218

Agenda Item

71c

Country Concerned

North Korea

Condemnatory

Yes

Analysis

  • This resolution condemns the government of North Korea for "long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights," including violations that may amount to crimes against humanity. While the resolution contains a small amount of encouragement, it is weak.

Main Sponsors

European Union

Vote

Consensus

Key Praise

  • "Noting the acceptance by the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of 132 of the 262 recommendations, and encouraging the Government to implement these recommendations in good faith."
  • "Noting the cooperation between the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organization in order to improve the health situation in the country..."
  • "Noting further the cooperation between the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the World Food Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on a number of assessments..."

Key Criticism

  • "Condemning the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for continuing to divert its resources into pursuing its illicit nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes over the welfare of its people..."
  • "Condemns in the strongest terms the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including those that may amount to crimes against humanity...and the continuing impunity for such violations."
  • "Expresses its very serious concern about (a) The persistence of continuing reports of violations of human rights...such as..."
  • "(i) Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including inhuman conditions of detention, all forms of sexual and gender based violence...public executions, extrajudicial and arbitrary detention..."
  • "(ii) The existence of an extensive system of political prison camps, where a vast number of persons are deprived of their liberty..."
  • "(iii) Enforced and involuntary disappearances of persons by arrest, detention or abduction against their will..."
  • "(vi) All-pervasive and severe restrictions...both online and offline, on the freedoms of thought, conscience, religion or belief, opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association..."
  • "(xii) Discrimination based on the songbun system..."
  • "Condemns the systematic abduction, denial of repatriation and subsequent enforced disappearance of persons, including those from other countries, on a large scale and as a matter of State policy..."
  • "Underscores its very serious concern regarding reports of torture...summary executions, arbitrary detention, abductions and other forms of human rights violations and abuses that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea commits against citizens of other countries within and outside of its territory..."

Full Vote

  • Yes0

  • No0

  • Abstain0

  • Absent0