UN North Korea Human Rights Rapporteur: "All Parties Must Sign Peace Agreement Regardless of Progress on North Korea's Denuclearization"

"North Korea More Isolated Than 2 Years Ago with Hardline Message"
"Peace Agreement Would Increase Opportunities to Address Denuclearization and North Korean Human Rights Issues"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] "All parties, especially the US government and North Korea, must sign a peace agreement on the Korean Peninsula regardless of progress in denuclearization."

Thomas Ojea Quintana, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, emphasized this in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) on the 8th. He explained that if a peace agreement is concluded, opportunities to resolve not only denuclearization but also North Korean human rights issues will increase.

Rapporteur Quintana said, "The nuclear issue seems to be the main obstacle to peace on the Korean Peninsula," adding, "North Korea is not showing willingness to open its doors to obligations under international human rights law due to security concerns."

He continued, "If a peace agreement is concluded, there will be more space not only for North Korea's denuclearization process but also for a human rights approach," and added, "Reconciliation between South and North Korea is very important for human rights and prosperity, and dialogue between North Korea and the US is crucial for resolving North Korea's nuclear and human rights issues."

He also emphasized the need to revise the way sanctions against North Korea are imposed. Rapporteur Quintana urged, "North Korean children and women are in poor conditions," and called for avoiding sanctions that harm the residents. He added, "If North Korean women are not allowed to engage in jangmadang activities, their social and political lives will be in the worst situation." At the same time, he mentioned that North Korea must comply with international standards regarding nuclear weapons, which the international community is concerned about.

Regarding the South Korean government, he called for a consistent voice to resolve the human rights issues of isolated North Korean residents. He also pointed out that South Korea's failure to co-sponsor the North Korean human rights resolution was a step backward.

He said, "The current situation on the Korean Peninsula related to North Korean human rights is becoming increasingly serious and difficult, and North Korea will become more isolated than two years ago based on the message it announced at the end of the year," adding, "We will continue efforts to have North Korea open its doors to the UN human rights office."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.