The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) expressed its support for the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s adoption of a resolution concerning the human rights situation in North Korea (UN Human Rights Council Resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK).
On Tuesday morning, Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho released a statement welcoming the unanimous adoption of the North Korea human rights resolution without a vote at the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ahn noted that 50 countries, including the European Union (EU) and Australia, participated as co-sponsors, reaffirming the international community’s shared recognition of the seriousness of the North Korean human rights issue.
He added that our government also participated as a co-sponsor prior to the resolution’s adoption, clearly demonstrating our commitment to joining the international community’s common understanding of the severity of the North Korean human rights issue and to playing a responsible role in promoting the rights of North Korean citizens. This reflects our government’s ongoing efforts to uphold universal human rights values and strengthen solidarity with the international community.
Ahn continued by stating that this resolution expresses serious concerns about forced labor in North Korea and the exploitation of overseas dispatched workers, urging countries to conduct human rights due diligence on their companies in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
However, Ahn expressed concern that some key elements were minimized or omitted in this resolution, including calls to refrain from sharing information with North Korea to protect defectors, as well as findings from the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (COI) report, which documented crimes against humanity occurring in North Korea.
He emphasized that despite the passage of 12 years since the COI report was released, there has been no substantial improvement in North Korean human rights. The international community must take new and effective measures, such as establishing a permanent investigation and documentation mechanism at the UN level.
Ahn concluded by stating that the NHRCK will also work closely with the international community to ensure that the human rights of North Korean citizens are genuinely improved.
On Monday, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the North Korea human rights resolution, with participation from 50 countries, including Korea, as co-sponsors, through a consensus-based approach at the 61st session held in Geneva, Switzerland.
This marks the 24th consecutive year that the UN Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution on North Korean human rights, continuing the trend of consensus adoption without a vote for the 11th year in a row.