UN Rapporteur: "North Korea Faces Risk of Famine Due to COVID-19 Lockdown"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights has called for the easing of UN sanctions to aid North Korean residents facing humanitarian risks due to COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Thomas Ojea Quintana, the rapporteur, stated this in a report to be submitted to the UN General Assembly in New York on the 22nd (local time), according to major foreign media reports on the 7th.

Rapporteur Quintana emphasized that North Korean authorities implemented strict quarantine measures such as closing borders and restricting domestic travel after COVID-19, causing many residents who relied on commercial activities near the China border to lose their income. He added that this has put North Korean residents at risk of starvation, while the supply of medicines has decreased and prices have risen.

He stressed, "Sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council should be reviewed and eased when necessary to ensure humanitarian aid and the rights of ordinary residents to an adequate standard of living."

Furthermore, Rapporteur Quintana welcomed the commitment made by President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden in May to cooperate in improving North Korea's human rights situation. He also called on both South Korea and the US to "send a clear signal" to revive diplomacy for North Korea's denuclearization.

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