WIREDGOV

The UN General Assembly recently adopted a new resolution on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

This resolution follows a similar one passed at the UN Human Rights Council in March and underlines the international community’s concern at the abuses taking place, and a determination to see them end.

Welcoming the resolution, Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said:

By voting in favour of this resolution by a significant majority, the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee has sent an important signal that systematic and widespread human rights violations will no longer be ignored by the international community.

The British Government has strongly supported accountability for these awful crimes, and we have spoken out on this both in Geneva and New York. The UN’s Commission of Inquiry clearly shows that the situation in the DPRK requires the world’s attention, and that the people of the DPRK require our support.

But we have also said that the door remains open for the authorities in the DPRK to engage with the international community on these issues at any time. They have expressed a willingness to consider technical cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and a country visit by the Special Rapporteur on DPRK, as well as the possible resumption of human rights dialogues. If these are serious offers, and if they are backed up by a genuine desire to achieve concrete improvements in the human rights situation on the ground, the international community will respond positively.

The international spotlight is on the regime in Pyongyang as never before.

Further information

Follow Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire on twitter @HugoSwire

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