A/RES/64/175
Noting the decision on the resumption, on a modest scale, of the activities of
the United Nations Development Programme in the Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea, and encouraging the engagement of the Government with the international
community to ensure that the programmes benefit the persons in need of assistance,
Recalling its resolutions 60/173 of 16 December 2005, 61/174 of 19 December
2006, 62/167 of 18 December 2007 and 63/190 of 18 December 2008, Commission
on Human Rights resolutions 2003/10 of 16 April 2003, 5 2004/13 of 15 April 2004 6
and 2005/11 of 14 April 2005, 7 Human Rights Council decision 1/102 of 30 June
2006 8 and Council resolutions 7/15 of 27 March 2008 9 and 10/16 of 26 March
2009, 10 and mindful of the need for the international community to strengthen its
coordinated efforts aimed at achieving the implementation of those resolutions,
4F
5F
6F
7F
8F
9F
Taking note of the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 11 regretting that he still has not
been allowed to visit the country and that he received no cooperation from the
authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and taking note also of
the comprehensive report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights
in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea submitted in accordance with
resolution 63/190, 12
10F
1F
Noting the importance of the inter-Korean dialogue, which could contribute to
the improvement of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the country,
Welcoming the recent resumption of the reunion of separated families across
the border, which is an urgent humanitarian concern of the entire Korean people,
1.
Expresses its very serious concern at:
(a) The persistence of continuing reports of systematic, widespread and
grave violations of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights in the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including:
(i) Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,
including inhuman conditions of detention, public executions, extrajudicial
and arbitrary detention; the absence of due process and the rule of law,
including fair trial guarantees and an independent judiciary; the imposition of
the death penalty for political and religious reasons; collective punishments;
and the existence of a large number of prison camps and the extensive use of
forced labour;
(ii) Limitations imposed on every person who wishes to move freely within
the country and travel abroad, including the punishment of those who leave or
try to leave the country without permission, or their families, as well as
punishment of persons who are returned;
_______________
5
See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2003, Supplement No. 3 (E/2003/23), chap. II,
sect. A.
6
Ibid., 2004, Supplement No. 3 (E/2004/23), chap. II, sect. A.
7
Ibid., 2005, Supplement No. 3 and corrigenda (E/2005/23 and Corr.1 and 2), chap. II, sect. A.
8
See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-first Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/61/53), chap. II,
sect. B.
9
Ibid., Sixty-third Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/63/53), chap. II.
10
Ibid., Sixty-fourth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/64/53), chap. II, sect. A.
11
See A/64/224.
12
A/64/319 and Corr.1.
2