A/HRC/RES/25/25
invitations to the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to public
hearings,
Deeply regretting the refusal of the Government of the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea to extend any cooperation to the commission of inquiry and the Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
including access to the country,
Stressing the significance of first-hand accounts by victims and witnesses who
delivered testimonies at public hearings and confidential interviews held by the
commission,
Recalling the call made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights, in her statement on 18 February 2014, to the international community to use all the
mechanisms at its disposal to ensure accountability, including referral to the International
Criminal Court,
Deeply concerned at the systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations in
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that, in many instances, constitute crime
against humanity, as well as at the impunity of perpetrators, as described in the report of the
commission of inquiry,
Expressing its serious concern at the refusal of the Government of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea to articulate, by the time of the adoption by the Human Rights
Council of the outcome report of its universal periodic review in March 2010, which
recommendations enjoyed its support, and regretting the lack of action taken by the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to date to implement the recommendations
contained in that report,
Concerned that the precarious humanitarian situation in the country is exacerbated
by the failure of the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to provide
humanitarian agencies with free and unimpeded access to all populations in need and by its
national policy priorities that, among others, prioritize military spending over citizens’
access to food,
Reaffirming that it is the responsibility of the Government of the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea to ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms of its entire population, including by ensuring equal access to
adequate food, as well as, among others, freedom of religion or belief, freedom of
expression and freedom of association and assembly,
Recognizing that particular risk factors affect women, children, persons with
disabilities and the elderly, and the need to ensure the full enjoyment of all their human
rights and fundamental freedoms by them against neglect, abuse, exploitation and violence,
Reaffirming the importance of States’ engaging fully and constructively with the
Human Rights Council, including with the universal periodic review process and with other
mechanisms of the Council, for the improvement of their situation of human rights,
1.
Welcomes the report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,1 and reaffirms that the report should be
transmitted to all relevant bodies of the United Nations and the Secretary-General for
appropriate action;
2.
Condemns in the strongest terms the long-standing and ongoing systematic,
widespread and gross human rights violations and other human rights abuses committed in
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and expresses its grave concern at the detailed
findings made by the commission of inquiry in its report, including:
2
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