Online Series

North Korean human rights situation continues to be dire from the perspective of international human rights standards. The international community has long monitored the human rights situation in North Korea, and has publicly expressed concerns about human rights violations through various UN human rights mechanisms. Although North Korea has strongly opposed the UN resolution on North Korean human rights and denied the findings of the Commission of Inquiry (COI), but it has shown some responsiveness regarding the rights of specific groups such as children, persons with disabilities, and women, and has been continuously participating in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), one of UN’s special procedures. In order to effectively improve the human rights and humanitarian situation of North Korean residents, a comprehensive approach must be taken including civil and political rights (CPR), economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR), and the third generation of human rights. It is important to consider ways to link development agendas and human rights mechanisms that North Korea is participating in, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UPR, with the protection and improvement of North Korean residents’ human rights and quality of life.