North Korea: UN expert says it's time to end isolation and talk about human rights – Democratic People's Republic of Korea

GENEVA (10 July 2018) – The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Tomás Ojea Quintana, urged North Korea to open a parallel dialogue After an eight-day visit to Seoul, Ojea Quintana said that the worsening humanitarian crisis in the North underscored the importance of bringing the lives of all North Koreans to the fore of the day, expressing concern over the failure of human rights terminology. to appear in documents following the talks between the two Koreas and the US-DPRK summit.

"Just a few months ago, the world feared a prospect of nuclear war," he added. Since his childhood, the world is now witnessing a peace process that can bring real results. I congratulate the two governments of the two Koreas for their resolution – that there will be no more war and that there will be a new era of peace.

"Until now, the government of North Korea has refused to engage with me. However, I now invite them to begin a process of dialogue, to start a conversation with me as a concrete sign of their commitment, which will only strengthen the ongoing process, "said the Special Rapporteur

. UN expert added that "the UN is strongly opposed to the politicization of human rights." "This is not the first time that human rights the man are considered a disadvantage at a delicate time. However, our experience as a UN has shown that there can be no genuine, peaceful and lasting transition without it. "

The UN reported that chronic food insecurity, early childhood malnutrition and nutritional insecurity are prevalent in the DPRK, with one million people, or 40 percent of the population, in need. of humanitarian aid.The total food production in the country has decreased by 7.42% in 2018 compared to last year.

"Difficulties in the living conditions and l & # 39; Chronic food insecurity continues to be cited as the reason people leave the countryside, which makes up the majority of the population, said Ojea Quintana

. The Special Rapporteur quoted the testimony of a young girl who told him: "We have been taught that everything is equal and just in the system when I lived there (in the North), that did not seem like that to me. "When asked why, she said," Life was so difficult for everyone. "Everyone lived for their own good, for themselves, and could not to worry about anyone else. "

" While the difficulties evoked by the DPRK's latest arrivals are essentially economic and social, they are all afraid to express an opinion that could be considered political. or criticism of the government or leader, "said the Special Rapporteur. "Although none of them has had direct experience of detention, they all cited knowing one or a family who would have been sent to detention camps. political prisoners (kwanliso), and the fear of being sent to them is widespread. "

During the visit, Ojea Quintana met with senior officials of the Government of the Republic of Korea, members of the diplomatic community, representatives of civil society organizations, the Korean Red Cross and the National Commission Korean human rights.

FIN

Mr Tomás OJEA QUINTANA (Argentina) has been appointed Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2016. Mr. Ojea Quintana, a lawyer with over 20 years of experience in human rights, worked for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and represented the Argentine NGO. "Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo" in cases concerning abductions of children during the military regime. Former head of OHCHR human rights program in Bolivia, he was UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar from 2008 to 2014.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The Special Procedures, the largest group of independent experts in the United Nations human rights system, is the general name of the Council's independent investigative and monitoring mechanisms that deal with specific situations. countries or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not United Nations officials and receive no salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity

UN Human Rights, country page: DPRK

OHCHR Office in Seoul

• For further information and media inquiries please contact Olga Nakajo in English (+41 22 928 9348 after the visit and +41 79 444 3702 during the visit / [email protected]) or in Korean, Yumi Song (+82 2 725 3524 / ysong @ ohchr. org) * [19659018] For media inquiries regarding other independent UN experts:
  * Jeremy Laurence, United Nations Human Rights Unit – Media (+ 41 22 917 9383 / [email protected]) *