Check against delivery

Mr President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway members of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Mr President,

We pay tribute to the courage of the escapees who have shared their experiences with us. We also commend the work of civil society organisations working to highlight human rights abuses being committed in the DPRK.

20 years ago, the General Assembly expressed its serious concern at “Continuing reports of systemic, widespread and grave violations of human rights in the DPRK”.[1]

10 years ago, the Commission of Inquiry concluded that the gravity, scale and nature of Pyongyang’s human rights violations revealed “a State that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world”.

Still today, reports – including from the UN and its Special Rapporteur – depict a grave situation, despite attempts by the DPRK to hide reality.

Contrary to what was presented recently by the DPRK in its Universal Periodic Review, the situation is dramatic. The 2024 OHCHR report found that the DPRK’s use of forced labour may in some instances qualify as enslavement, which is a crime against humanity.

We also deplore the dire humanitarian situation in the country, where the population suffers severe food insecurity and terrible health conditions.

And we urge the DPRK to resolve the humanitarian situation of abductees, in line with international law: by providing transparency on their status and whereabouts; by releasing them, immediately and unconditionally; and by facilitating family reunification.

That is why this meeting is needed. That is why it was mandated by the General Assembly, which recognised that there must be consequences for such systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations and abuses. They have become a matter of concern to the international peace and security of all, and we strongly condemn them.

There is a direct link between internal repression and the munitions produced by forced labour, which violate human rights abroad.

The deployment of North Korean soldiers to support Russia in its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine should be a cause of concern to all sovereign Member States of the United Nations. It constitutes a serious breach of international law, including the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter. How long until we see North Korean troops – or weapons – in other conflicts around the world?

Over recent years, we have also seen how the DPRK is diverting scarce resources toward the development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, at the expense of the well-being and human rights of its own people.

The EU will continue to support the work of the UN and the Special Rapporteur, who has written that “Member States need to take creative and concrete measures to address the past and ongoing human suffering in the DPRK.” We urge the DPRK to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur and grant her access to the country.

We must ensure that our sustained expressions of concern lead to dialogue and genuine reform, backed by the commitment that the international community’s attention will remain steadfast.

We urge full implementation of recommendations from the 4^th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, along with full respect of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We look forward to the report on human rights in the DPRK since 2014, to be submitted to Human Rights Council at its 60^th session.

We still hope that the DPRK might end its almost total isolation, resume diplomatic engagement, and grant access to United Nations agencies and other humanitarian actors to return to the country.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

[1] A/RES/60/173 of 16 December 2005