UN Draft Resolution Condemns Human Rights Violations in North Korea

Strategic Insights -

A draft resolution circulated by the European Union and Japan, condemning human rights abuses in North Korea, has been met with opposition from China, a key ally of the reclusive Asian nation. The resolution, expected to be voted on by the UN General Assembly in December, urges the Kim Jong Un-led government to shut down prison camps and end human rights violations. The draft resolution also calls for sanctions against those responsible for "crimes against humanity," citing a report by the UN Commission of Inquiry.

Key Takeaways:

  • The draft resolution, supported by the European Union and Japan, condemns human rights abuses in North Korea, including forced labor, arbitrary detention, and torture.
  • The resolution urges the North Korean government to shut down prison camps and end human rights violations, which have led to the escape of thousands of citizens.
  • The draft resolution also calls for sanctions against those responsible for "crimes against humanity," citing a report by the UN Commission of Inquiry.
  • A separate report by UN Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman revealed that North Korea has forced over 50,000 people to work outside the country, earning an estimated $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion per year.
  • The North Korean government has repeatedly denied allegations of human rights abuses, with China rejecting the UN report on human rights violations in North Korea as "not credible."
  • The delay in taking action on the UN resolution may be due to opposition from China, which has veto power in the UN Security Council.

Statistics:

  • 50,000 people have been forced to work outside North Korea, mostly in Russia and China, under conditions that reportedly amount to forced labor.
  • The North Korean government is believed to have earned between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion per year from forced labor.
  • 10% of the North Korean prison population has been forced into labor.
  • 22% of the reports by the UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights abuses in North Korea were made by defectors who have fled the country.

Sources:

  • Associated Press (AP)
  • Reuters
  • BBC
  • United Nations Commission of Inquiry
  • United Nations General Assembly
  • Marzuki Darusman, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in North Korea
  • Chen Chuandong, Chinese diplomat