Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea A/RES/72/188 Korea 15 and the group of independent experts on accountability for human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 16 established pursuant to Council resolution 31/18 of 23 March 2016, 17 including options to seek accountability and secure truth and justice for all victims, and commends the activities undertaken by the Special Rapporteur and the group of independent experts; 7. Also welcomes the adoption of Human Rights Council resolution 34/24, 1 in which the Council provided for the strengthening of 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, in its report submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirty-fourth session, 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; 8. Reiterates its appreciation for the work of the commission of inquiry, recognizes the continuing importance of its report, and 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; 9. Acknowledges the commission’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; 10. 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; 11. Encourages the Security Council to continue its consideration of the relevant conclusions and recommendations of the commission of inquiry and take appropriate action to ensure accountability, including through consideration of referral of the situation in the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea to the International Criminal Court and consideration of the further development of sanctions in order to target effectively those who a ppear to be most responsible for human rights violations that the commission has said may constitute crimes against humanity; 12. Also encourages the Security Council to continue to discuss the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including the country’s human rights record, in the light of the serious concerns expressed in the present resolution, and looks forward to its continued and more active engagement on this matter; 13. Encourages the continuing endeavours of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights field-based structure in Seoul, and welcomes its regular reporting to the Human Rights Council; 14. Calls upon Member States to undertake to ensure that the field-based structure of the Office of the High Commissioner can function with independence, __________________ 15 16 17 17-23184 A/HRC/34/66. A/HRC/34/66/Add.1. See Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-first Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/71/53), chap. IV, sect. A. 7/10