Living in North Korea has never been easy, and with a nationwide blockade imposed by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2020 due to a viral Epidemic, ordinary North Koreans are in isolation and their human rights are even more worrisome.
The Nikkei Asian Review reported this week that Tomas Ojea-Quintana, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, said the border shooting order, starvation due to the massive blockade, and other executions are abuses by the North Korean regime against its people, March 13.
Ojea-Quintana argued that the North Korean government’s strict COVID-19 restrictions have led to widespread Food insecurity. He added that new detention facilities have reportedly been established in the northern Yellow Sea area between Pyongyang and the southern border for those who violate COVID-19 quarantine measures.
Many of the crimes committed by the North Korean regime have been confirmed. According to the Daily NK, a South Korean media organization with sources inside North Korea, the blockade has affected entire towns and neighborhoods, preventing many people from leaving their homes to get food. Many of those who flee are often arrested.
“Both Daily NK and Radio Free Asia have reported on the execution of those who violated the quarantine rules. “Daily Kos also confirmed last month that North Korean authorities have ordered the expansion of political prison camps.
Ojea Quintana said that during his five years at the United Nations, he has received numerous confirmations of serious human rights violations by the North Korean authorities.
He said it was “Time for the Security Council to decide to refer the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Greg Scarlatoiu, executive director of the Human Rights Commission of North Korea (HRNK), agreed with Ojea Quintana that it is necessary to refer the DPRK to the ICC for human rights violations, but noted that there are “significant obstacles.
Scarlatoiu explained, “Since the DPRK is not a party to the 2002 Rome Statute, the UN Security Council would need to refer it to the ICC.” The issue then boils down to the five permanent members of the Security Council, “in particular the People’s Republic of China (CCP) or the Russian Federation, being able to veto the proposal.”
Since the ICC has no jurisdiction over North Korea, Pacheco Pardo, associate professor at King’s College London and moderator (holder) of the KF (Korea Foundation, Korea Foundation for International Exchange) – VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Free University of Brussels) Korea Chair platform ( Ramon Pacheco Pardo said that a referral to the International Criminal Court “is not the best way to address the human rights situation in North Korea.
Pardo said options are limited beyond the ICC, but added that the EU will impose human rights sanctions on North Korea under its EU Human Rights Global Sanction Regime.
The Nikkei reports that the sanctions regime was launched last December and is expected to release lists of sanctioned officials against China (Communist Party of China), Russia, North Korea and Africa later this month.
Youngsoo Yu, an assistant professor at the University of North Korean Studies, also stressed the importance of not relying exclusively on the ICC. “South Korea and the U.S. should clearly show their commitment to human rights norms and send a consistent message to North Korea about human rights violations,” he said.
“The U.S. and South Korea must send a signal that human rights are universal principles and values that we pursue. The first thing we need to do is get North Korea to acknowledge that, which is something we have failed to do so far.” He said.
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