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| ▲ Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesperson, speaks during a press briefing at the department in Washington, in this Oct. 30, 2023, file photo. (Yonhap) |
US-NK human rights
U.S. calls for N.K. reform process to improve human rights
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- A State Department spokesperson on Saturday reiterated calls for North Korea to begin a reform process to improve human rights, as this month marks the 10th anniversary of the release of a landmark U.N. report on the reclusive state's rights situation.
Matthew Miller, the spokesperson, issued a statement on the 2014 U.N. Commission of Inquiry (COI) report that accused the North Korean regime of "systematic, widespread and gross" human rights violations and made related recommendations.
"We call on the DPRK to initiate a reform process to implement the recommendations of the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry and to respect human rights," Miller said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
"We also urge the international community to take immediate action to address the egregious human rights situation in the DPRK and for Member States to respect the principle of non-refoulement," he added.
The COI report included recommendations that Pyongyang undertake "profound and institutional reforms without delay" to introduce checks and balances on the powers of the nation's leader and the ruling Workers' Party, including the introduction of an independent and impartial judiciary and a multiparty political system.
Miller pointed out that a decade after the report's release, reports indicate that the situation in the North has only worsened.
"(North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un continues to exploit his citizens, including through mass mobilizations and the monopolization of food distribution, in support of the DPRK's unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs," he said.
The spokesperson stressed that promoting respect for human rights and human dignity in the North remains a "top priority" for the U.S. government.
"We remain committed to shining a spotlight on human rights abuses and violations, promoting accountability for those responsible for them, and increasing access to independent information inside the DPRK," he said.
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