A/HRC/25/63 5. The mandate further indicates that the inquiry should pursue three interlinked objectives: (a) Further investigating and documenting human rights violations; (b) Collecting and documenting victim and perpetrator accounts; (c) Ensuring accountability. 6. The commission paid specific attention to gender-based violations, particularly violence against women, and the impact of violations on particular groups, including women and children. 7. Paragraph 5 of Council resolution 22/13 does not limit the temporal scope for the commission’s inquiry to a particular period within the existence of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 8. With regard to its geographic scope, the commission interpreted its mandate to include violations committed on the territory of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as well as those violations that involve extraterritorial action originating from the State, such as abductions from other countries. The commission also considered violations that causally enable, or are the immediate consequence of, violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and made findings regarding the extent to which other States carry relevant responsibility. A. Non-cooperation by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 9. In its resolution 22/13, the Human Rights Council urged the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cooperate fully with the commission’s investigation, to permit the commission’s members unrestricted access to visit the country and to provide them with all information necessary to enable them to fulfil their mandate. Immediately after the adoption of resolution 22/13, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea publicly stated that it would “totally reject and disregard” it. In a letter dated 10 May 2013, it informed the President of the Human Rights Council that it “totally and categorically rejects the commission of inquiry”. Regrettably, this stance has remained unchanged, despite numerous attempts at engagement by the commission. 10. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea did not respond to the commission’s repeated requests for access to the country and to information on the human rights situation (see sect. III below). 11. The Commission shared its detailed findings (A/HRC/25/CRP.1) with the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and invited its comments and factual corrections. A summary of the most serious concerns, in particular the principal findings on crimes against humanity, was also included in a letter addressed to the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong-un (see annex I). In the letter, the commission drew attention to the principle of command and superior responsibility under international criminal law. It urged the Supreme Leader to prevent and suppress crimes against humanity, and to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted and brought to justice. B. Methods of work 12. Owing to its lack of access to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the commission obtained first-hand testimony through public hearings that were transparent, observed due process and protected victims and witnesses. More than 80 witnesses and 4