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North Korea agrees to 'consider' UN recommendations on human rights North Korea agrees to 'consider' UN recommendations on human rights
(4 months later)
The UH human rights council has presented North Korea with 268 recommendations to improve human rights in the country –185 of which the North has said it will consider.The UH human rights council has presented North Korea with 268 recommendations to improve human rights in the country –185 of which the North has said it will consider.
The recommendations, which follow the release of a dossier of human rights abuses in February, were presented to North Korea in Geneva on 6 May and will be made public after a UNHCR meeting in September. The recommendations, which follow the release of a dossier of human rights abuses in February, were presented to North Korea in Geneva on 6 May and will be made public after a UNHCR meeting in September.
The country's ambassador to the UN, So Se-pyong, later slammed the move as "a work of prejudice and a misunderstanding of the republic".The country's ambassador to the UN, So Se-pyong, later slammed the move as "a work of prejudice and a misunderstanding of the republic".
But the North has agreed to review 185 of the recommendation and is expected to let the council know of its decision prior to the September meeting.But the North has agreed to review 185 of the recommendation and is expected to let the council know of its decision prior to the September meeting.
The measures to be considered include the enactment of international covenants on rights for children and women; education system reform; domestic legal system reform; implementing regulations and laws on economic, social and cultural rights; improving the well-being of the population; and ensuring the distribution of humanitarian aid.The measures to be considered include the enactment of international covenants on rights for children and women; education system reform; domestic legal system reform; implementing regulations and laws on economic, social and cultural rights; improving the well-being of the population; and ensuring the distribution of humanitarian aid.
The recommendations it refused to consider include the scrapping of "guilt by association" for relatives of those accused of crimes; future cooperation with the international criminal court; the implementation of recommendations as outlined by the inquiry into North Korean human rights; a visit to to the country by a UN human rights investigation team; the closure of the political prison camps and the abolition of discrimination based on the songbun class system.The recommendations it refused to consider include the scrapping of "guilt by association" for relatives of those accused of crimes; future cooperation with the international criminal court; the implementation of recommendations as outlined by the inquiry into North Korean human rights; a visit to to the country by a UN human rights investigation team; the closure of the political prison camps and the abolition of discrimination based on the songbun class system.
Kwon Eun-kyoung of the International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea said the agreement to review some recommendations was significant. "The North rejected a set of recommendations presented to them in 2009, so (the fact that) they are reviewing 185 recommendations this time around indicates they are feeling the pressure from the international community. " Kwon Eun-kyoung of the International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea said the agreement to review some recommendations was significant. "The North rejected a set of recommendations presented to them in 2009, so (the fact that) they are reviewing 185 recommendations this time around indicates they are feeling the pressure from the international community. "
"Sudan and Malaysia, countries said to be friendly with North Korea, also made recommendations that the North make an effort to improve the human rights of its people. The special human rights team could be dismissed as 'political scheming' but these recommendations are not something the North is able to reject 100%, "Kwon said."Sudan and Malaysia, countries said to be friendly with North Korea, also made recommendations that the North make an effort to improve the human rights of its people. The special human rights team could be dismissed as 'political scheming' but these recommendations are not something the North is able to reject 100%, "Kwon said.