US Federal Agencies Recommend Designating 17 Countries Including North Korea and China as Countries of Particular Concern for Religious Freedom
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a federal agency established by the U.S. Congress, recommended on the 1st (local time) that the State Department designate 17 countries, including North Korea, as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom.
In its "2024 Annual Report" released that day, USCIRF stated that the governments of these countries are involved in or tolerate violations of religious and faith freedoms. The countries recommended by USCIRF for CPC designation include North Korea, China, Russia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, and 11 others.
North Korea, China, Russia, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba are among the countries previously designated as CPC by the State Department. The State Department evaluates religious freedom in various countries annually under the International Religious Freedom Act enacted in 1998 and designates CPCs and Special Watch List (SWL) countries. USCIRF also recommended adding five countries, including Vietnam and India, which were previously on the State Department's SWL, to the CPC list.
USCIRF assessed in the report that "the religious situation in North Korea remains among the worst in the world." It also cited reports from the South Korean government stating that Protestant believers in North Korea are persecuted as political criminals labeled "counter-revolutionaries" and "traitors." Furthermore, it noted that shamanistic beliefs and other faiths are also suppressed in North Korea.
The report recommended that, as in last year, the U.S. government ▲ integrate security issues and human rights concerns as complementary goals and ▲ impose broad sanctions while maintaining clear objectives. Additionally, it urged close cooperation with the South Korean government to ensure the safe movement of North Korean defectors in countries such as China.
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Moreover, USCIRF recommended that 11 countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey, be designated as SWL. USCIRF is an independent federal agency established by the U.S. Congress to advise the U.S. President and Secretary of State on foreign policy related to the promotion of religious freedom worldwide.
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