Human Rights and Democracy - Official Documents

mandate of the special rapporteur. Until the DPRK begins to engage with UN human
rights mechanisms and allows the special rapporteur unrestricted access, it will
remain difficult to verify reports about human rights conditions in the country.
In November, an EU delegation visiting Pyongyang raised human rights issues and
called on the authorities to respect all human rights and freedoms, and to agree to
restart the human rights dialogue with the EU that was terminated by the DPRK in
2003. We hope that the DPRK will follow through on the positive signals given to the
delegation of its willingness to re-engage with the EU on these issues.
Throughout 2010, our Embassy pursued bilateral confidence building measures that
could have a practical impact. These included providing support for projects
involving children, food security and the disabled. Our Embassy also encouraged
activities that exposed the people of the DPRK to British values and our way of life.
Seoul is a major centre of information about human rights in the DPRK and activism
on the issue. Our Embassy in Seoul has a long history of capacity building with
groups who work on DPRK human rights issues. In 2010, it hosted an event on
Human Rights Day to celebrate the work of groups which assist North Korean
settlers, and in particular those who help settlers adjust to life in South Korea. It
piloted an English language programme designed to build leadership capacity
amongst the defector community. Our Ambassador also hosted a guest blog for a
student who had defected from North Korea.
Throughout 2011, our Embassy in Pyongyang will explore further alternative areas of
engagement with the DPRK through small projects where we might find common
ground. We will also seek opportunities for DPRK officials to participate in human
rights programmes in the UK.
Access to justice
The legal system in the DPRK is completely opaque. These institutions are
subservient to the state and do not uphold the principles of the rule of law. Senior
DPRK officials appear to enjoy a degree of impunity and there is a lack of a
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