Ten years after the publication of a landmark report on crimes against humanity in North Korea, a United Nations investigator warns of the persistence of massive human rights violations in the country. In a new report released Thursday, the UN special envoy for human rights in North Korea, Elizabeth Salmon, denounces the lack of significant progress and a situation that, in some respects, has even deteriorated.
North Korea remains one of the most repressive regimes in the world, the report said, citing torture, summary executions, the arbitrary detention of tens of thousands of people in political prison camps, and strict control of information and travel. “The suffering of the North Korean people is compounded by the absolute impunity enjoyed by the regime,” Salmón said at a press conference in Geneva.
The report follows on from the work of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which in 2014 concluded that the violations amounted to crimes against humanity. At the time, the international community promised action, but little concrete action has been taken since, partly due to deadlock in the Security Council, where China and Russia support Pyongyang.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, living conditions in North Korea have further deteriorated, as the country has closed its borders and drastically reduced external trade. This increased isolation has made access to information and international surveillance even more difficult. The report also highlights persistent food insecurity and a critical economic situation for a large part of the population.
The UN Special Envoy calls for a more resolute approach from the international community, including through accountability mechanisms, increased support for victims, and strengthened dialogue with relevant parties, including South Korea and regional actors. She emphasizes that regional security must not overshadow the suffering of the North Korean people: "Peace cannot be sustainable if it is built on human rights violations."
