Press Releases

1. Japan highly appreciates the fact that on March 24 (March 24 local time), at the 34th Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland, the Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the DPRK, co-tabled by Japan and the European Union (EU), was adopted without a vote.

2. Based on last year’s Human Rights Council resolution reflecting the final report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the DPRK presented in February 2014, this year’s resolution condemns in the strongest terms North Korea’s ongoing systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations, and urges North Korea to take immediate steps to end all human rights violations, including the abductions issue. In addition, the resolution acknowledges last year’s United Nations General Assembly resolution that expresses grave concern about the impact of North Korea’s diverting resources to advance nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programs on the humanitarian and human rights situation in North Korea. Furthermore, the resolution welcomes last year’s United Nations General Assembly resolution, which encourages the United Nations Security Council to take appropriate action to ensure accountability, including through consideration of referral of the situation in North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and consideration of the further development of sanctions in order to target effectively those who appear to be most responsible for human rights violations.

3. Furthermore, the resolution decides to strengthen the capacity of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including its field-based office in Seoul, to implement the relevant recommendations in the report of the Group of Independent Experts on Accountability for human rights violations in the DPRK.

4. The adoption of the resolution without a vote demonstrates the international community’s grave concerns about human rights violations in North Korea including the abductions issue. Japan continues to strongly urge North Korea to sincerely accept the views of the international community expressed in this resolution and take concrete action towards the early resolution of the abductions issue and cooperation with the international community.