Despite saying that the crimes against humanity in North Korea are “without parallel” did the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report into North Korea make any difference? UK says it “provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the country.”
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL13727):
Question by Lord ALTON of Liverpool:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they changed their engagement with (1) the government of North Korea, and (2) the UN in relation to North Korea, following the report by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry Report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, published on 7 February 2014. (HL13727)
Tabled on: 01 March 2021
Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
The UK has deep concerns about the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK including as documented in the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report, and has responded to recommendations made by that report. Since the Report’s publication, we have maintained a high level of engagement at the UN on the situation and we continue to press for annual debate on the DPRK’s human rights issues in the UN Security Council. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the DPRK government, including with the DPRK’s Ambassador in London. We also support the annual Human Rights Council resolution on human rights in North Korea which stresses the importance of following up recommendations from the Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the country.
Date and time of answer: 15 Mar 2021 at 17:59.
