Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea A/RES/74/166 urges the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in this regard, to take preventive and remedial action, cooperating with international donor and humanitarian agencies for accessing people belonging to vulnerable groups, facilitating the implementation of programmes and monitoring humanitarian assistance consistent with international standards; 6. Welcomes the latest report to the Human Rights Council of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea; 22 7. Reiterates its appreciation for the report of the group of independent experts on accountability for human rights violations in the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea, 23 established pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 31/18, including options to seek accountability and secure truth and justice for all victims; 8. Welcomes the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 24 on steps taken pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 34/24 of 24 March 2017 25 to strengthen the capacity of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including its field-based structure in Seoul, to allow the implementation of relevant recommendations made by the group of independent experts on accountability aimed at strengthening current monitoring and documentation efforts, establishing a central repository for information and evidence and having experts in legal accountability assess all information and testimonies with a view to developing possible strategies to be used in any future accountability process; 9. Also welcomes the steps taken pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 40/20 to continue the efforts outlined above, expresses strong support for the work being undertaken by the Office of the High Commissioner in furtherance of the resolution, with the aim of ensuring accountability for suspected violations of international law committed in and by the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea, and calls upon all States to support such efforts; 10. Reiterates its appreciation for the work of the commission of inquiry, recognizes the continuing importance of its report, a nd regrets that the commission received no cooperation from the authorities of the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea, including with regard to access to the country; 11. Acknowledges the commission of inquiry’s finding that the body of testimony gathered and the information received provide reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea, pursuant to policies established at the highest level of the State for decades and by institutions under the effective control of its leadership, which was confirmed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in her report to the Human Rights Council submitted pursuant to resolution 34/24; 12. Expresses its concern at the failure of the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to prosecute those responsible for human rights violations, including violations which the commission of inquiry has said may amount to crimes against humanity, and encourages the international community to cooperate with accountability efforts and to ensure that such crimes do not remain unpunished; __________________ 22 23 24 25 8/11 A/HRC/40/66. A/HRC/34/66/Add.1. A/HRC/40/36. See Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-second Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/72/53), chap. IV, sect. A. 19-22298