(December 16, 2021, Washington, D.C.): One Korea Network (OKN) commends and welcomes remarks by the Representative of the United States to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, made at the UN Security Council meeting held yesterday, with support from Estonia, France, Ireland, Japan, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
In her remarks, the Ambassador brought up the issue of the political prison camps, the lack of freedom of expression and other basic rights, and other acts of repression carried out by the North Korean regime.
“We are grateful to the United States Mission to the UN and Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield for her timely and important remarks made at the Security Council. It is very encouraging for the Ambassador to remind the world, again, that in North Korea the political prison camps continue to exist and that the citizens continue to suffer,” said Grant Newsham, President of KCPAC.
“We are also moved and heartened to read the Ambassador mention Joy, the North Korean defector, in her remarks,” said Arthur Lee, Regional Director of One Korea Network DC Office. “The world needs to be reminded that when it comes to North Korea, the focus needs to be on the people – who are some of the most oppressed people in the world,” continued Lee.
OKN commends the calls by the United States and the supporting countries to urge all the Security Council members to hold an open briefing regarding the human rights situation in North Korea. OKN also supports the Ambassador’s call for the UN General Assembly members to join together and adopt the annual resolution on the human rights situation in North Korea.
OKN also condemns the governments of Russia and China for opposing and blocking the raising of the issue of human rights in the DPRK, thus prompting the members of the Security Council to resort to meeting under the ‘Any Other Business’ (AOB) format.
“OKN stands ready to support and engage the US government and other nations in highlighting the issue of human rights in North Korea, and it is our sincere hope and desire that this encouraging development in the Biden Administration will lead to real outcomes and improvements regarding human rights in North Korea,” said Henry Song, Director of Government Relations at One Korea Network.
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield’s Remarks can be read HERE.
Videos of the Remarks can be viewed HERE and HERE.
Citizens can voice their support for real peace by signing on to the petition at:
https://www.votervoice.net/KCPAC/campaigns/88592/respond
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