Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea A/RES/79/181 16. Calls upon Member States to undertake to ensure that the field-based structure of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights can function with independence, has sufficient resources and support to fulfil its mandate, enjoys full cooperation with relevant Member States and is not subjected to any reprisals or threats; 17. Also calls upon Member States to continue to support the strengthening 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 and in accordance with Human Rights Council resolutions 34/24, 40/20, 46/17, 49/22 of 1 April 2022, 32 52/28 of 4 April 2023 33 and 55/21 aimed at strengthening monitoring and documentation efforts, compiling a central information and evidence repository 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; 18. Further calls upon Member States to engage with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to explore options to strengthen, institutionalize and further advance work on accountability and undertake, where possible, the investigation and prosecution of persons suspected of committing international crimes in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in accordance with international law; 19. Strongly urges the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to respect, protect and fulfil all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, in this regard: (a) To immediately put an end to the systematic, widespread and grave violations and abuses of human rights emphasized above, inter alia, by implementing fully the measures set out in the above-mentioned resolutions of the General Assembly, the Commission on Human Rights and the Human Rights Council, and the recommendations addressed to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by the Council in the context of the universal periodic review and by the commission of inquiry, the United Nations special procedures and treaty bodies; (b) To immediately close the political prison camps and to release all political prisoners unconditionally and without any delay, and to immediately conduct a comprehensive review of conditions in all places of detention, including in prison camps, re-education camps, labour training camps, labour training centres, detention centres, holding centres and waiting rooms, and take steps to ensure that conditions in those facilities are in compliance with relevant obligations and commitments relating to the humane treatment of persons in detention, as outlined in the relevant provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules); 34 (c) To immediately cease the use of torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, including in places of detention; (d) To protect its inhabitants, address the issue of impunity and ensure that those responsible for crimes involving violations and abuses of human rights are brought to justice before an independent judiciary; __________________ Ibid., Seventy-seventh Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/77/53), chap. V, sect. A. Ibid., Seventy-eighth Session, Supplement No. 53 (A/78/53), chap. V, sect. A. 34 Resolution 70/175, annex. 32 33 24-24223 11/14