A/RES/63/190
Noting that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the United Nations
Development Programme have started consultations regarding possible resumption of
the activities of the Programme in the country,
Recalling its resolutions 60/173 of 16 December 2005, 61/174 of 19 December
2006 and 62/167 of 18 December 2007, 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 resolution 7/15 of
27 March 2008, 9 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
Taking note of the report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 10 regretting that he was not
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 62/167, 11
9F
10F
Noting the importance of the inter-Korean dialogue, which could contribute to
the improvement of the human rights and humanitarian situation in the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea, including by means of securing access,
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; and the existence of a large number of prison
camps and the extensive use of forced labour;
(ii) The situation of refugees and asylum-seekers expelled or returned to the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and sanctions imposed on citizens of the
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea who have been repatriated from abroad,
leading to punishments of internment, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or the death penalty, and in this regard urges all States to respect the
fundamental principle of non-refoulement, to treat those who seek refuge
humanely and to ensure unhindered access to the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees and his Office, with a view to improving the
situation of those who seek refuge;
_______________
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
See A/63/322.
11
A/63/332.
2