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STORY: UN / DPRK HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 04:31
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 17 AUGUST 2023, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT
RECENT – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters
17 AUGUST 2023, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Human suffering of such scale and magnitude engenders instability, internally, and has wider implications. And rarely has the DPRK been more painfully closed to the outside world than it is today. This is a result of Government policies that were initially linked to 2 containing the COVID-19 pandemic, but which have grown even more extensive as the pandemic has waned.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Anyone who views so-called “reactionary ideology and culture” – a term used for information from abroad, in particular the Republic of Korea – may now face imprisonment of five to fifteen years. Any person found to have distributed such content faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“In March 2023, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization noted that "a large portion of the population suffers from low levels of food consumption and poor dietary diversity, with food security expected to remain fragile in light of persisting economic constraints and agricultural shortfalls". There are reports that starvation exists in parts of the country.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The Government's surveillance over its citizens, at home and abroad, has grown to an intensity rarely seen in other countries. People’s rights to privacy are systematically violated. Homes are subjected to random searches. Neighbours and family members are encouraged to report on each other.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Thousands of enforced disappearances have been perpetrated by the State over the past 70 years, including of Koreans from both north and south of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and the abduction of other foreigners, mostly Japanese nationals. I sympathise deeply with the families of those who were abducted or disappeared, and who now are or would be aged in their 80s and 90s. It is imperative that we exert all efforts to ensure some measure of justice, before it is too late.”
12. Med shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“In the past, the DPRK was an active participant in a number of these mechanisms, despite its criticisms of various aspects of their work. Regrettably, in recent years, it has cut itself off from these much-needed sources of dialogue and guidance. My Office continues to encourage the government to respond positively to my offer of technical assistance.”
14. Med shot, Security Council
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Elizabeth Salmón, Special Rapporteur on the situation on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea:
“Some people are starving. Others have died due to a combination of malnutrition, diseases, and lack of access to health care. Access to food, medicines and health care remains a priority concern.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Elizabeth Salmón, Special Rapporteur on the situation on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea:
“Militarization also promotes the systematic exploitation of the population. The leadership in the DPRK continues to demand its citizens to tighten their belts so that the available resources could be used to fund the nuclear and missile programme.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
During a Security Council briefing on the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said, "Human suffering of such scale and magnitude engenders instability, internally, and has wider implications."
Briefing the Council in New York today (17 Aug), Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said, “rarely has the DPRK been more painfully closed to the outside world than it is today.”
He added, “This is a result of Government policies that were initially linked to 2 containing the COVID-19 pandemic, but which have grown even more extensive as the pandemic has waned.”
According to Türk, “Anyone who views so-called “reactionary ideology and culture” – a term used for information from abroad, in particular the Republic of Korea – may now face imprisonment of five to fifteen years. Any person found to have distributed such content faces life imprisonment or even the death penalty.”
The High Commissioner added, “In March 2023, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization noted that "a large portion of the population suffers from low levels of food consumption and poor dietary diversity, with food security expected to remain fragile in light of persisting economic constraints and agricultural shortfalls". There are reports that starvation exists in parts of the country.”
Türk also noted, “The Government's surveillance over its citizens, at home and abroad, has grown to an intensity rarely seen in other countries. People’s rights to privacy are systematically violated. Homes are subjected to random searches. Neighbours and family members are encouraged to report on each other.”
The UN top rights official said, “Thousands of enforced disappearances have been perpetrated by the State over the past 70 years, including of Koreans from both north and south of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, and the abduction of other foreigners, mostly Japanese nationals.”
He said, “I sympathise deeply with the families of those who were abducted or disappeared, and who now are or would be aged in their 80s and 90s. It is imperative that we exert all efforts to ensure some measure of justice, before it is too late.”
Türk concluded, “In the past, the DPRK was an active participant in a number of these mechanisms, despite its criticisms of various aspects of their work. Regrettably, in recent years, it has cut itself off from these much-needed sources of dialogue and guidance.”
The High Commissioner assured, “My Office continues to encourage the government to respond positively to my offer of technical assistance.”
Briefing the Council as well was Elizabeth Salmón, Special Rapporteur on the situation on human rights in DPRK. She said, “Some people are starving. Others have died due to a combination of malnutrition, diseases, and lack of access to health care. Access to food, medicines and health care remains a priority concern.”
She continued, “Militarization also promotes the systematic exploitation of the population.”
Salmón explained, “The leadership in the DPRK continues to demand its citizens to tighten their belts so that the available resources could be used to fund the nuclear and missile programme.”
