MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in North Korea
15.4.2014 - (2014/2696(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure
Marie-Christine Vergiat, Helmut Scholz, Nikola Vuljanić, Patrick Le Hyaric on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Korean Peninsula,
– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Human Rights and other human rights instruments,
– having regard to the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council of 21 March 2013Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea [1]
– having regard to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Marzuki Darusman of 1 February 2013 [2]
– having regard to the report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of 7 February 2014[3]
– having regard to the resolution of the UN Human Rights Council on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea of 26 March 2014[4]
– having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. Whereas the DPKR has for many years an extremely problematic human rights situation ; whereas the UN Special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPKR in 2013 identified in its report nine key-interlinked issues or patterns of violations of human rights: violation of the right to food, torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, including inhuman conditions of detention; arbitrary detention; violations of human rights associated with prison camps; discrimination and the disproportionate or specific effect of human rights violations on vulnerable groups, in particular women, children, people living with disabilities and returnees; extensive violation of freedom of expression and other related freedoms; violation of the right to life, in particular the abusive application of the death penalty and the use of public executions; restrictions on freedom of movement and abusive treatment of citizens forcibly returned; enforced disappearances, including in the form of abductions of foreign nationals; whereas these conclusions have been confirmed by the findings of the commission of inquiry on the human rights in the DPKR;
B. Whereas on 21 March 2013, at its 22nd session, the United Nations Human Rights Council established the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) which mandated the body to investigate the systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea;
C. Whereas in its resolution 22/13 the UN Human Rights Council urged the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to cooperate fully with the Commission's investigation; whereas the Democratic Peoples 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;
1. Notes with serious concern the findings and conclusions of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the DPKR;
2. Deeply regrets the refusal of the Government of the DPKR to extend any cooperation to the UN commission of inquiry and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including access to the country; urgently calls on the government of the DPKR to review its approach and to make an objective and independent international investigation of the human rights situation in the country possible;
3. Expresses its particular concern about the severity of the food situation the country is facing and its impact on the economic, social and cultural rights of the population; is appalled that the precarious humanitarian situation in the country is exacerbated by the failure of the government of the DPKR 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,
4. Underlines that the primary obligation to feed people lies with the State, which must take all measures necessary to rectify existing flaws in the production and distribution system that have contributed to the shortage of food; calls on the Government of the DPKR to reduce military expenditures and ensure equitable re-allocation of resources to respond effectively to the food crisis and other areas needing development
5. Notes with deep concern at the reduced readiness of the international community to contribute to the UN food programs for the DPKR; expresses its support for theses programs and calls on the EU Member States to implement their pledges for contributions: calls on the Commission to maintain existing humanitarian aid programmes and channels of communication with the DPRK with the view to continue humanitarian assistance to the people; urges the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to ensure safe and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance that is delivered impartially on the basis of need, in accordance with humanitarian principles;
6. Urges the Government of the DPKR to take immediate steps to end all human and democratic rights violations and abuses through, inter alia, the implementation of relevant recommendations in the report of the commission of inquiry, including, but not limited to, the following steps:
(a) To ensure the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as the rights to freedom of opinion, expression and association, including by permitting the establishment of independent newspapers and other media;
(b) To end discrimination against citizens, including State-sponsored discrimination based on the songbun system, and to take immediate steps to ensure gender equality and to protect women from gender-based violence;
(c) To ensure the right to freedom of movement, including the freedom to choose one’s place of residence and employment;
(d) To promote equal access to food, including through full transparency regarding the provision of humanitarian assistance, so that such assistance is genuinely provided to vulnerable persons;
(e) To immediately halt all human right violations relating to prison camps, including the practice of forced labour, to dismantle all political prison camps and release all political prisoners, and to ensure that justice sector reforms provide protections for a fair trial and due process;
(f) To allow all persons who have been abducted or otherwise forcibly disappeared, as well as their descendants, to return immediately to their countries of origin;
7. Calls on the DPRK to immediately and permanently stop public executions and abolish the death penalty in the DPRK;
8. Encourages all States who have relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to use their influence to encourage it to take immediate steps to end all human rights violations;
9. Is deeply troubled by the commission’s finding that the body of testimony gathered and the information received provided reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in the DPKR;
10. Stresses that the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have failed to prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity and other human rights violations; calls on the government of the DPRK to make those responsible for human rights violations accountable and to cooperate with the international community with a view to ensure that crimes do not remain unpunished;
11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Government of the DPKR, the Governments of the Members of the UN-Security Council and the UN Secretary-General.
- [1] A/HRC/RES/22/13
- [2] (A/HRC/22/57)
- [3] A/HRC/25/63
- [4] A/HRC/25/L.17