7/47 Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

GE.08-10722 (E) 260208

UNITED NATIONS

A

General Assembly Distr. GENERAL

A/HRC/7/47 22 February 2008

Original: ENGLISH

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Seventh session Agenda item 2

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REPORTS OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea*

Note by the Secretariat

1. The present note has been prepared further to Human Rights Council decision 2/102 requesting the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies. The Commission on Human Rights, in paragraph 9 of its resolution 2005/11, requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue her efforts to engage in a comprehensive dialogue with the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with a view to establishing technical cooperation programmes in the field of human rights and to submit her findings and recommendations to the Commission.

2. In line with standard policy and practice developed pursuant to General Assembly resolution 926 (X) of 14 December 1955, which established the United Nations programme of advisory services and technical cooperation in the field of human rights, various forms of assistance in the area of human rights are at the disposal of Member States upon their request.

* The present report was submitted late to reflect the most recent information.

3. With a view to exploring ways of initiating technical cooperation between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the High Commissioner invited the Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the United Nations Office at Geneva to meet and explore avenues of future cooperation.

4. During the meeting held on 11 February 2008, the High Commissioner welcomed the recent submission of the combined third and fourth periodic report of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC/C/PRK/4) and encouraged continued activities in relation to reporting to the treaty bodies.

5. The High Commissioner proposed discussions on a future technical assistance programme that could be offered to the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, particularly in light of the forthcoming review of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea under the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review mechanism (scheduled to take place in 2009). Such a programme could for example offer assistance in the areas of treaty body reporting and ratification of core human rights treaties. The High Commissioner suggested that an OHCHR assessment mission could visit the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with a view to exploring such possibilities with relevant officials on the ground.

6. The Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reiterated that his Government does not recognize the resolutions adopted by the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Government considers these resolutions as selective, politicized and reflecting double-standards. The Permanent Representative stated that his Government was therefore unable to accept the High Commissioner’s offer. He nonetheless stated that he had taken note of the High Commissioner’s willingness to offer technical assistance and that his Government would continue to respect its treaty obligations and cooperate with the treaty bodies. Since the 11 February meeting, no further response has been received from the Government on this matter.

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