Joint statement at the UN Security Council’s stakeout on the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

United States Mission to the United Nations
Office of Press and Public Diplomacy
For Immediate Release
March 17, 2023

Joint statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the UN Security Council stakeout on the human rights situation in the DPRK

(The following is a joint statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Representative to the United Nations, on behalf of Albania, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States.)

Good day. Let me thank you all for being here with us today.

Today’s briefing on the situation in the DPRK confirms an unfortunate reality: almost 10 years after the UN Commission of Inquiry found that the DPRK’s systemic, widespread and gross human rights abuses constitute crimes against humanity, the regime has continued these abuses.

The meeting also highlighted the clear links between the human rights violations and abuses in the DPRK and its development of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their proliferation in violation of international law and in defiance of the will of the international community.

The DPRK remains one of the most repressive governments in the world.

It continues to systematically neglect the welfare of its people and denies them their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

This week, the DPRK launched another ICBM, continuing its launch pace unprecedented since early 2022.

This illicit WMD ballistic missile program is underpinned by many of the DPRK’s human rights abuses.

The DPRK’s use of forced labor and exploitation – both domestic and abroad – supports this illegal and menacing program, as does the food distribution policy, which favors the military and leads to chronic malnutrition among DPRK citizens.

The government’s widespread denial of human rights and fundamental freedoms ensures that it can, without public objection, direct undue resources, much of which are generated by its illicit cyber activities, to the development of illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, even when North Korea is suffering severe economic difficulties Difficulty suffering in part due to this diversion of resources.

According to many reports, the DPRK government continues to hold 80,000-120,000 people in political detention camps, where they face arbitrary or summary executions; Torture; Hunger; gender-based violence, including forced abortions; forced labor; and inhuman conditions.

Those not in political prison camps are also denied their rights, including freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief.

The DPRK also reportedly seeks to suppress the exercise of rights outside its territory through transnational acts of repression, including assassinations, surveillance, intimidation, kidnappings and forced returns – sometimes with the support of other governments and sometimes without the consent of those governments, demonstrating the lack thereof Respect for the sovereignty of the DPRK.

We are also deeply concerned about the international abductions and enforced disappearances by the DPRK of citizens of Japan and the Republic of Korea and prisoners of war.

We urge the DPRK to resolve any outstanding issues with these detainees, abductees and disappeared and return them to their homes without delay.

These abuses are well-documented, directly related to the North Korean government’s illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, and clearly undermine international peace and security. The modern world has no place for such brutality. This is why it was so important for us to co-host and co-sponsor today’s Arria.

Last month, 62 co-sponsors – twice as many as last year – signed a letter urging the Security Council to continue to look into the human rights situation in the DPRK. It is time for the Council to address this publicly.

We urge all members of the Security Council to support, in the coming months, an open briefing where we can discuss the DPRK’s human rights violations and abuses and their impact on peace and security.

Thanks very much.

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From the United States Mission to the United Nations | March 17, 2023 | Topics: Highlights, Remarks and Highlights