A/HRC/19/65 seven boats, arrived by sea, compared with only nine people, on five boats, in 2010. The Special Rapporteur was informed that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has increased coast patrols as a result of this development. 50. The Special Rapporteur shares deeply the concerns raised with him by civil society organizations and the diplomatic community, and calls on States to adhere to their obligation of providing international protection to such asylum-seekers. 51. In 2013, when the Special Rapporteur reports back to the Human Rights Council, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will be preparing for its next review in the context of the universal periodic review. Although the Government did not clarify which universal periodic review recommendations it supported, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will be expected to report on the implementation of some of the recommendations and conclusions. The Special Rapporteur hopes that the Government will use the time up until early 2014 to make a detailed assessment of the extent to which it has implemented the recommendations made. He again encourages the Government to engage with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in this process and to seek its technical expertise. V. Conclusions and recommendations 52. The Special Rapporteur wishes to emphasise the need for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to ensure the overall protection and promotion of human rights in the country, as provided under international human rights instruments. 53. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to cooperate with the various United Nations human rights mechanisms. He also calls on the Government to implement the recommendations made by various human rights mechanisms, as well as made in the reports of the Secretary-General and of the Special Rapporteur to the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. 54. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to repeal provisions in its legislation that are counter to the international standards. In particular, he draws the attention of the Government to the provisions to which he has referred in the present report. 55. The Special Rapporteur recognizes the paramount importance of resuming inter-Korean dialogue in order to create a conducive atmosphere, which could then lead to the resolution of a number of outstanding issues, such as the reunion of separated families and the repatriation of abducted Koreans. 56. With regard to the 12 abducted Japanese nationals, the Special Rapporteur stresses the need for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to stand by its commitment made to Japan to re-investigate the 12 pending cases of abduction. 57. The Special Rapporteur calls on the governments of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea to explore the possibility of setting up of an additional mechanism that could be more robust than the current process for addressing the problem of separated families. 58. While calling on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to invest more resources in its agriculture sector and to take corrective measures to increase food production in the country, the Special Rapporteur stresses the need for the revival of effective humanitarian assistance by the international community to the people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Provisions of such humanitarian aid, 13

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