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U.N. Security Council Hears Accounts of Hunger, Forced Labor in North Korea

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Volker Turk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, speaks via video call after Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, sitting president of the United Nations Security Council, gavels in a meeting of the council to discuss the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
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United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk

Overview

  • The UN Security Council held a meeting on North Korea's human rights record.
  • Testimony described a "reign of fear" and the exploitation of labor.
  • North Korea criticized the meeting and accused the U.S. of pursuing geopolitical goals.
  • Russia denounced the meeting as propaganda, while China said human rights were beyond the council's scope.
  • No agreement on action was reached despite the dire human rights situation outlined.