Corporate report

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) - in-year update December 2015

Published 21 April 2016

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government

The human rights situation in the DPRK showed no discernible improvement in the second half of 2015. The DPRK continued to resist calls from the international community to engage meaningfully on human rights, and lobbied against the EU-sponsored Human Rights Resolution at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Third Committee in November, focusing on defending their system, and maintaining a hostile approach to any form of criticism of their human rights record. The DPRK government continued to refuse to engage with the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report, and to criticise human rights in countries it sees as hostile to it, particularly the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States.

The UK worked with international partners to ensure the EU/Japan-sponsored UNGA Third Committee Resolution on DPRK human rights was passed with an increased majority in November 2015. The resolution maintains international pressure on the DPRK and keeps the spotlight on the findings of the COI report. It was passed with 119 for, 19 against, and 48 abstentions; the majority increased by 7. This sent a strong message to the DPRK government and maintained international attention on the appalling human rights situation in their country. The DPRK continues to view UN human rights resolutions as politically-motivated attacks on its sovereignty. The UK has made clear that DPRK must demonstrate that it has made considerable progress on human rights for the UK position on resolutions to change. But the DPRK remains unwilling to accept the need for action on human rights.

Direct engagement between UK and DPRK officials increased in this reporting period. A senior FCO official met senior DPRK government counterparts during a visit to Pyongyang in October and, in line with our policy of critical engagement, raised serious concerns at the appalling human rights situation in the country, reiterating the DPRK’s responsibility to uphold its international obligations. Other engagements by the Embassy in Pyongyang included the first meeting in several years between the British Ambassador and an official from the International Organisations Department, which leads on human rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In December, the British Ambassador met Kim Yong Nam, President of the Praesidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, and officials from other DPRK government ministries. In these meetings he raised human rights issues and emphasised the need for freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of the press and media, and freedom of movement. He also underlined the importance of cooperation with the international community on human rights and urged the DPRK to allow international organisations to access prison camps.

The DPRK’s Director General for Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited the UK in December 2015. His programme included meetings with FCO Minister for Asia, Hugo Swire, and senior FCO officials, who reiterated the UK’s serious concerns regarding human rights in the DPRK and our disappointment that the DPRK continued to reject the findings of the COI report. They also urged the DPRK to engage on the issues documented in the report.

DPRK authorities discussed the Universal Periodic Review with FCO officials, but have not made any progress on implementing the recommendations they accepted.

Events in this reporting period have reinforced our serious concerns about human rights in the DPRK. The regime continues to show little regard for international norms regarding the trial and detention of prisoners. Reverend Hyeon-soo Lim, a Canadian national, was tried on 16 December 2015 and sentenced to life in prison with hard labour. Canadian consular officials were allowed to attend and observe the trial at the DPRK’s Supreme Court. The trial failed to meet international standards.

Elections to provincial, municipal, city and county assemblies held on 19 July highlighted the absence of freedom of thought and freedom of speech in the DPRK. The elections were used as a propaganda tool to reinforce the control of the Workers Party of Korea (WPK) over all levels of government. Citizens were compelled to vote for a pre-selected candidate in each region. Voting took place in public view under the strict supervision of government and WPK officials. The turnout was recorded as 99.97%. These elections failed to meet international human rights standards for free and fair elections.

During this reporting period, the DPRK withdrew its objection to two articles in the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The DPRK is currently working towards ratification of the Convention. This would be a positive development in the DPRK’s approach to women’s rights, but there is no evidence that the DPRK government is working to raise awareness amongst the DPRK population on women’s rights and domestic violence issues, which reportedly remain prevalent.

The UK will continue to support future UN human rights resolutions, and will raise human rights issues with DPRK officials at every opportunity as part of our policy of critical engagement.