UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea Tomas Ojea Quintana on Tuesday called on Pyongyang to open a parallel dialogue on the country’s human rights situation with the ongoing peace and demilitarisation talks.
The expert also expressed concerns that human rights terminology had not appeared in any documents issued following talks between the two Koreas, and the North Korea-U.S. Summit.
“While still in its infancy, the world is now witnessing a peace process that may bring real results.
“To date, the Government of North Korea has refused to engage with me.
“However, I am now calling for them to start a process of dialogue on human rights situation in the country.
“To begin a conversation with me as a concrete sign of their commitment, which will only serve to reinforce the ongoing process,’’ Ojea Quintana said, published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The special rapporteur stressed that though human rights were often considered an inconvenience during delicate negotiations, experience has shown that “there can be no genuine, peaceful and sustainable transition without it.’’
The statement provided figures on the humanitarian situation in North Korea, saying that over 10 million people (40 per cent of the North Korean population) required humanitarian aid, while early childhood malnutrition and nutrition insecurity were widespread in the country.
He visited the South Korean capital of Seoul on July 2 to 10 to advance a human rights dialogue with Pyongyang.
He has repeatedly submitted requests to visit North Korea, but to no avail.
The long-standing tensions on the Korean Peninsula started to ease after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed his commitment to denuclearise the country, and held historic summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in April and U.S. leader Donald Trump in June. (Sputnik/NAN)
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/05/18/world/denuclearise-or-risk-overthrow-trump-tells-north-koreas-kim/
