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Nicole Halseth
News Editor | ote-news@unbc.ca

ccording to the BBC, “China has dismissed a UN report

that compared human rights abuses in North Korea to
those in Nazi Germany.” (North Korea is officially known as the
Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, or the DPRK).

A Chinese diplomat, Chen Chuandong, responded by claiming
that some of the report’s recommendations were not an
accurate reflection of reality, and that it essentially lacks
credibility. This response may support speculation that China
will block further attempts at action over the subject.

North Korea’s response was to call the report
“a fabrication by hostile forces.”

UN-appointed jurists created the report to document
the state of human rights abuses in North Korea.

According to the BBC, “The report accused the state of
systematic murder, torture, enslavement and starvation
on a scale unparalleled in the modern world.”

Michael Kirby, head of the international panel of
inquiry, called for action in North Korea.

Despite this push for action, China has already made clear

it will not back the report, and has indicated it will likely
veto any resolutions made at the UN Security Council.

As one of China’s main reasons for refusing to back the
report, Chuandong said “The inability of the commission to
get support and co-operation from the country concerned
made it impossible for the commission to carry out its
mandate in an impartial, objective and effective manner.”

The UN panel who created the report were not able
to enter North Korea itself, or talk to any officials
within the country. The report is based solely on
testimonials from refugees and defectors.

China calls for “constructive dialogue” with the government of
North Korea, in order to address these human rights concerns.

Sponsors for the proposal to investigate the state of
human rights in North Korea, the European Union and
Japan (with US support), wish to submit the report to

the Security Council, in order to get it referred to the
international criminal court or another body that may be
able to hold North Korea accountable for its actions.

This move is expected to meet substantial opposition,
and as such, it remains to be seen just how effective
this report will be in creating positive change.