Ⅰ. Assessment of the Human Rights Situation in North Korea
The report assessed the human rights situation in North Korea in the following four categories: ① civic space and fundamental freedoms, ② justice and rule of law, ③ development and economic, social, and cultural rights, ④ equality and non-discrimination. The report reached the conclusion that “the human rights situation in [North Korea] has not improved overall since 2014 and, in many instances, has degraded.” Key areas with degraded human rights include ① violation of the right to life, ② regressions in freedom of expression and access to information,③ increase in forced labor, ④ limitation on the freedom of movement, ⑤ erosion of economic, social, and cultural rights due to the return of the state control of the economy.
