Michael Hyun

Cas 138T
March 28,2014
Dr. Raman
To the United Nations Human Rights Council:


Currently there is a situation in North Korea much too like the past. To elaborate, during
World War II Nazi Germany took part in multiple actions that were deemed as inhumane. These
actions consisted of but werent limited to, genocide, forced labor and the establishment of
concentration camps. The outcome of these events was the suffering and extermination of tens of
millions of people. In the present day, it is not Nazi Germany committing these crimes but it is
North Korea and many people do not realize this. Retired Australian judge Michael Kirby stated
that, At the end of the Second World War so many people said, If only we had known, if only
we had known the wrongs that were done in the countries of the hostile forces (TheWeek). The
most striking part of Judge Kirbys response is if only we had known. North Korea is being
accused of extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions,
persecution on political, religious, racial and gender grounds, the forcible transfer of populations,
the enforced disappearance of persons, and the inhumane act of knowingly causing prolonged
starvation (TheWeek). The idea that all of this could have been going on right under the worlds
nose is shocking. To prevent this lack of awareness I believe that more emphasis should be
placed on creating awareness towards the possible violations of human rights occurring
throughout the world, but more specifically in North Korea.
There are many similarities between the two parties, North Korea takes things to a more
horrific level. Most North Koreans, roughly 25 million inhabitants are chronically hungry,
malnourished, or straight-out starving (TheWeek). German citizens did feel hardships during
World War II, however this was not even close to the level of hardship felt by North Koreans.
The propaganda in North Korea is also much worse than that of Nazi Germany during World
War II. In North Korea there are loudspeakers hard-wired into every house to distribute
government news and information also the amount of eavesdropping that North Korea does
permeates the private lives of all citizens to ensure that virtually no expression (TheWeek)
targeted towards the North Korean society or political system goes unnoticed.
A recent U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea released
drawings of the humans suffering in North Korea. Several different experiences of previous
prisoners were displayed. There were prisoners interrogated in the pigeon torture position
beaten until they vomited blood, prisoners were brought to the prison camps in train wagons
originally meant to carry animals, and cells suited for 15-17 people were filled to the brim with
40 people. (Huffington Post). The living conditions are clearly not suitable and people are not
being treated like humans. They are being treated like animals. The United Nations Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights defines human rights as the rights inherent to all human
beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour,
religion, language, or any other status (United Nations Human Rights).
A key question to ask here is what has North Korea done to violate human rights and
when did this start? It is largely assumed that human rights in the Democratic Peoples Republic
of Korea (North Korea) started quite some time ago. The North Korean government continues
to impose totalitarian rule (Human Rights Watch). Although the North Korean government
technically possesses a constitution with some rights protections, in reality the government
represses all forms of freedom of expression and opinion (Human Rights Watch). The real
crime is the way North Korea punishes its prisoners and people. North Korea participates in
Torture, Executions, Prisoner Camps, and Suppression of Information. North Korean refugees
have stated that people arrested in North Korea are routinely tortured by officials seeking
confessions, bribes and obedience (Human Rights Watch). North Korea also states that the
death penalty can be applied for vaguely defined offenses as long as it is considered serious.
This sort of vagueness indicates that anyone can be executed. The largest issue with North Korea
is their prison camps. These camps require their prisoners to participate in forced labor. If a
North Korean citizen is caught disobeying the government then three generations of their family
go to these prison camps. The North Koreans emphasize three generations because they believe
by the time the new generation comes out of these camps they are loyal to the North Korean
government. These camps are notorious for horrific living conditions and abuse, including
induced starvation, little or no medical care, lack of proper housing and clothes, continuous
mistreatment and torture by guards, and executions (Human Rights Watch). North Korea has
never fully admitted to these camps existing, but United States and South Korean officials now
estimate that between 80,000 and 120,000 people may be imprisoned in them (Human Rights
Watch).
Another clear violation of human rights occurs when North Korea uses fear to prevent
dissent, and impose harsh restrictions on freedom of information and travel. Everything, all
forms of communication, is controlled by the state. The radio, tv broadcasts and other media is
under monitor by the North Korean government. This prevents the freedom of speech for the
people of North Korea. Many of their basic rights are being taken away.
North Korea is clearly in violation of the United Nations idea human rights as they are
treating their own people like Nazi Germany treated the Jewish. Most recently the United
Nations Division of Human Rights began to question what was really happening inside North
Korea, and what they were hiding from the world. The United Nations Human Rights Council
urged global powers to back an international criminal investigation of North Korea for crimes
against humanity and to consider targeted sanctions against those responsible (The New York
Times). It was revealed under the 36-page United Nations report and the 373-page
addendum that added gruesome details to the way people were being treated in North Korea.
This report was based on a year of public hearings with about 80 witnesses and private,
confidential interviews with another 240 victims, including people whod spent time in North
Korean prison camps, and other experts (TheWeek).
To solve the problem of lack of awareness in the world towards North Korea, I move that
the United Nations make more of an effort to reveal to the public the violations of human rights
that North Korea has committed. The goal is to gain public awareness and the way to do that is to
constantly apply pressure. The United Nations must make an effort to educate the public. The
United Nations must let the public know that North Korea has already surpassed the violations of
Nazi Germany and their treatment of the Jewish. Liberty in North Korea otherwise known as
LiNK is a non-profit organization working towards getting refugees of North Korea out of
danger and into safety. This particular organization operates within the United States, China, and
South Korea to name a few. This organization has been moving through the United States giving
speeches and asking for donations and a call to action. The importance of this sort of
organization is that it creates awareness. Another plan that the United Nations could take is
teaming up with a non-profit organization such as LiNK to inform people who do not know what
is going on in North Korea.
Recently the United Nations has been working towards fixing the problems in North
Korea. The Human Rights panel of the United Nations proposed a resolution that the councils
47 members adopted by a vote of 30 to 6, with 11 abstentions, it called on the United Nations
Security Council to take actions (The New York Times). Julie de Rivero of the Geneva director
of Human Rights Watch stated The package as a whole is unprecedented (The New York
Times) showing that this sort of direction taken by the United Nations Human Rights Council is
completely new. Another new step that the United Nations is taking is the possibility of
establishing a field presence in the country, assigning possibilities including (The New York
Times) several different nations where United Nations already have regional offices.
This plan has a high possibility of working because several different organizations such
as LiNK have already created an increasing awareness campaign. With the constant pushing of
these organizations aided by the United Nations has the ability to pull North Korea out from
under the Worlds Nose. Another event like Nazi Germany and the Jewish must not happen.
Please put more of an emphasis on getting the word out that North Korea must change its ways.
They must stop violating human rights and give their people freedom.












Works Cited

Cumming-bruce, Nick. "Rights Panel Seeks Inquiry of North Korea." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
McCormack, Simon. "North Korea Torture Drawings Document Harsh Treatment In Country's
Prisons." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
Nebehay, Stephanie, and Tom Miles. "'Mind Your Own Business', North Korea Says of U.N. Demand
for Justice." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.
"North Korea Isn't Nazi Germany in Some Ways, It's Worse - The Week." The Week. N.p., n.d. Web.
29 Mar. 2014.
"What Are Human Rights." What Are Human Rights. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"What It's Like Inside A North Korean Prison." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Mar. 2014. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
"World Report 2014." : North Korea. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.