The Adoption at the Third Committee, United Nations General Assembly, of the Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

November 22, 2008

On November 21 (local time), a resolution on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) was adopted with a large number of support for the fourth consecutive year at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The resolution expresses very serious concern at various violations of human rights in the DPRK and strongly urges the DPRK to resolve the abduction issue urgently, including immediate return of abductees.
The Government of Japan considers that the adoption of the resolution with a large number of support at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, composed of all UN member states, for four consecutive years, indicates that concern at the human rights situation in the DPRK, including the abduction issue, remains strong, and sent a clear message from the international community urging the DPRK to improve the situation.
The Government of Japan hopes that the DPRK will take concrete actions to improve the human rights situation, including immediate return of abductees and to cooperate with the international community, including the acceptance of the UN Special Rapporteur on the DPRK’s human rights situation, by sincerely responding to the voice of the international community expressed in the resolution; and Japan will continue to urge such action.

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