MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on North Korea
19.1.2016 - (2016/2521(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure
Hilde Vautmans, Marielle de Sarnez, Urmas Paet, Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Izaskun Bilbao Barandica, Petras Auštrevičius, Dita Charanzová, Pavel Telička, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Ivo Vajgl, Nedzhmi Ali, Martina Dlabajová, José Inácio Faria, Fredrick Federley, Nathalie Griesbeck, Marian Harkin, Filiz Hyusmenova, Ivan Jakovčić, Petr Ježek, Kaja Kallas, Louis Michel, Javier Nart, Maite Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz, Frédérique Ries, Robert Rochefort, Johannes Cornelis van Baalen, Paavo Väyrynen, Valentinas Mazuronis on behalf of the ALDE Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0083/2016
The European Parliament,
-having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),
-having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, to all of which the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a party,
-having regard to the 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,
-having regard to the declaration by the DPRK of 13 March 2013 that it had ended the 1953 armistice and ‘is not restrained by the North-South declaration on non-aggression’,
-having regard to the Commission of Inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea which was established on 21 March 2013 by the UN Human Rights Council,
-having regard to the UN Human Rights Council resolution of 26 March 2014 and the UN General Assembly resolution of 17 December 2015 on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
-having regard to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements and Additional Protocols,
-having regard to UN Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874, 2087 and 2094;
-having regard to the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, of 6 January 2016 on the alleged nuclear test in DPRK,
-having regard to Rule 135 of its Rules of Procedure,
Nuclear Tests
A. whereas the nuclear test as announced and carried out by the DPRK on 6 January 2016 represents a serious threat to regional and international peace and security, and is, furthermore, a serious affront to the principles set out in the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT);
B. whereas the pursuit of illegal nuclear and ballistic missile programmes constitutes a challenge to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and risks aggravating regional tensions; whereas these programmes do not serve the DPRK’s claimed objective of improving its security;
C. whereas the Council of the European Union and the UN Security Council condemned the DPRK’s nuclear test;
D. whereas the DPRK withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2003;
E. whereas the EU strongly favours the idea of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula;
Human Rights
F. whereas since the introduction of the UN special rapporteur on human rights there has been eight consecutive UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions and ten UN General Assembly resolutions adopted;
G.whereas the DPRK regime has not cooperated with the UN and has rejected all UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly resolutions regarding human rights in North Korea; whereas it has failed to cooperate with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country, and has rejected all assistance from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights;
H. whereas the report of 7 February 2014 of the Commission of Inquiry documented systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in the DPRK; whereas the Commission of Inquiry found in many instances that the violations of human rights constitute crimes against humanity;
I. whereas these crimes against humanity entail extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence, persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, the forcible transfer of populations, the enforced disappearance of persons and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged starvation; whereas these crimes against humanity are on-going in the DPRK because the policies, institutions and patterns of impunity remain in place;
J. whereas the Commission of Inquiry recommends that the UN Security Council should refer the situation in the DPRK to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for action in accordance with the court's jurisdiction;
K. whereas the UN Security Council discussed human rights in the DPRK for the first time in December 2014 and again in December 2015 in spite of opposition from some Security Council members;
L.whereas the European Union is a defender and promoter of human rights and democracy in the world; whereas the EU-DPRK human rights dialogue resumed in 2015 after being suspended by the DPRK since 2003;
Nuclear Tests
1. Condemns the nuclear test allegedly conducted by the DPRK on 6 January 2016 in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874, 2087 and 2094, and demands that the DPRK abstain from further tests; calls on the DPRK to unconditionally sign and ratify the CTBT without delay;
2. Deplores the DPRK’s choice of the path of provocation and isolation, in defiance of the international community’s united condemnation of its nuclear activities, which threaten international peace and security; Reaffirms its belief that the pursuit by the DPRK of its illegal nuclear programme constitutes a grave challenge to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and risks aggravating regional tensions; such a behaviour will have to lead to appropriate measures taken by the international community;
3. Urges the DPRK to re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launches, to proceed with a total, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and to re-join the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which is the cornerstone of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and the peaceful use of nuclear energy;
4. Calls on the DPRK to refrain, unconditionally, from any action likely to increase further tension in the Korean Peninsula and to re-engage constructively with the international community, and in particular the members of the Six-Party Talks, in order to work towards lasting peace and security on a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and as the best means to secure a more prosperous and stable future for the DPRK;
5. Urges North Korea to immediately comply with its international obligations;
Human Rights
6. Reaffirms its calls on the DPRK to put an immediate end to the ongoing grave, widespread and systematic human rights violations perpetrated against its own people, which may amount to crimes against humanity and thus be subject to international criminal jurisdiction;
7. Stress the need for the DPRK authorities to ensure access to food and humanitarian assistance for all citizens especially the elderly, persons with disabilities, children and women;
8. Urges the DPRK to remove all barriers to personal freedoms such as the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief and freedom; Calls on the DPRK to allow free expression and press freedom, as well as uncensored access to the internet for its citizens;
9. Calls on the DPRK to immediately and permanently stop public and secret executions and abolish death penalty;
10. Calls on the DPRK to put an end to extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, eliminating the use of torture and forced labour, to release political prisoners and to allow its citizens to travel freely, both within and outside the country;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the EU Special Representative on Human Rights, the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, and the UN Secretary-General.