WASHINGTON - On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of a pivotal United Nations report detailing human rights abuses in North Korea, the United States State Department has renewed its appeal for the country to engage in reformative actions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a spokesperson for the State Department, the 2014 U.N. Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) outlined "systematic, widespread, and gross" violations within the regime and proposed a series of reforms aimed at enhancing human rights.
The U.S. has called on North Korea to begin a reform process that adheres to the COI's recommendations, emphasizing the importance of respecting human rights. Additionally, the U.S. has implored the global community to address North Korea's dire human rights situation urgently and to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, which protects refugees from being returned to countries where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.
The 2014 COI report advocated for significant and immediate reforms in North Korea, including establishing a system of checks and balances, introducing an independent judiciary, and allowing for a multiparty political system. Despite these recommendations, reports indicate that the human rights conditions in North Korea have deteriorated further under Kim Jong-un's leadership, particularly through exploitation tied to the country's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
Miller highlighted the U.S. government's ongoing commitment to promoting human rights in North Korea as a "top priority," focusing on exposing abuses, holding perpetrators accountable, and enhancing access to independent information within the DPRK.