HRC61 side event - How to improve the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
HRC Side-event on how to improve the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea co-hosted by Australia and the European Union
Date: 17 March 2026 at 14:00-15:00
Venue: Room IX, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Concept:
More than ten years after the publication of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the overall human rights’ situation has not improved and remains extremely dire, if not worse. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues to document human rights violations, some of which may amount to international crimes, while the State has no independent institutions or processes to ensure accountability and provide victims with effective remedies. In the words of High Commissioner Volker Türk, who presented a comprehensive report in September 2025, it has been a “lost decade”.
The DPRK remains one of the most sealed off countries in the world, despite some limited signs of selective re-opening of its borders. The UN Country Team has not returned to the country and humanitarian agencies still lack free and unimpeded access to all populations in need. No independent human rights monitoring has occurred inside the country since the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2017, and the DPRK still refuses to engage with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, despite repeated requests.
And yet, the DPRK is engaging to a degree with the international human rights system, ratifying two more human rights treaties and complying with some treaty bodies’ reporting obligations. In November 2024, the DPRK participated in the fourth cycle of the universal periodic review (UPR), where it received 294 recommendations from 86 countries. The DPRK accepted 143 recommendations, partially accepted 7 and rejected 144. In August 2025, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) reviewed the initial report of the DPRK submitted pursuant to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A delegation from Pyongyang, consisting of the officials from the Central Committee of the Korea Federation for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly and the Ministry of Public Health, participated in a constructive dialogue with the CRPD in Geneva. The delegation also participated in a human rights workshop organized by the UN Human Rights Office.
Despite these limited steps, the disconnect between the State’s international obligations and ultimately the reality of the lives of its citizens remains stark. In the 10-year-assessment presented to the Human Rights Council during its 60th session, the High Commissioner recommended 8 immediate steps that would build momentum and provide credibility. In her latest report presented to the 61st session of the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Elizabeth Salmón, proposes ways to better use the recommendations emanating from the universal periodic review to improve the realization of human rights of people in the DPRK. Civil society organizations have also been reporting urgent concerns and potential areas for improvement.
With this background, the side-event aims to further explore ways to improve the human rights situation in the DPRK in targeted areas, for example the treatment of detainees, the application of the death penalty, access to food and health, and the rights of persons with disabilities. Building on a multidisciplinary expertise and different perspectives, panellists are expected to reflect on areas of engagement with the DPRK and to provide specific and measurable recommendations to that effect to the DPRK, the international community, and other stakeholders.
Speakers:
H.E Ms Deike Potzel, Permanent Representative of the European Union to the UN in Geneva
H.E Ms Clare Walsh, Permanent Representative of Australia to the UN in Geneva
Ms Elizabeth Salmón, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK
Mr Markus Schefer, member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
Ms. Unique Kim, Human Rights Analyst at the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB)
Programme:
14:00-14:05 Opening remarks by the Permanent Representative of Australia
14:05-14:15 UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, on the implementation of UPR recommendations supported by the DPRK
14:15-14:25 CRPD member, about the engagement of the DPRK on the rights of persons with disabilities
14:25-14:35 NKDB, analysis of DPRK engagement with international human rights mechanisms and opening for improvement
14:35-14:55 Discussion and interventions from the floor
14:55-15:00 Closing remarks by the Permanent Representative of the European Union