NORTH KOREA

59th Session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights:

Comments of the DPRK Government

23 April 2003

Integration of the human rights of women and the gender perspective: Violence against women

Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, submitted in accordance with Commission on Human Rights resolution 2002/52 - Excerpt

Addendum 1

International, regional and national developments in the area of violence against women

1994-2003*

E/CN.4/2003/75/Add1 - 27 February 2003

Paragraphs 965 - 968

Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea

...965. The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea became a party to the Convention on 27 February 2001, but has reservations to articles 2 (f); 9, paragraph 2; and 29.

Issues of concern

966. Although the Constitution states that women hold equal social status and rights with men, it is believed that in practice women face discrimination and gender specific violence. There have been reports of trafficking in women and girls from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea but there is no specific law addressing trafficking. It is said that women who try to leave the country are deceived by smugglers into thinking that they are being helped but are often sold as brides or prostitutes in China. Some women are sold by their families, and many endure sexual and physical abuse. (1)

967. In prison or during interrogations, women are reportedly subjected to several methods of torture, including the insertion of objects into the vagina. Women who have become pregnant in China are especially targeted in detention, and are forced to undergo abortions.(2)

968. At the invitation of the Governments of the Republic of Korea and Japan, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, visited Seoul from 18 to 22 July 1995 and Tokyo from 22 to 27 July 1995 to study in depth the issue of military sexual slavery in wartime, within the wider framework of violence against women (E/CN.4/1996/53/Add.1). In this context, the Government of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea submitted information to the Special Rapporteur regarding the implementation of the Special Rapporteurs recommendations.(3) The Government reiterated its request that the United Nations pay particular attention to the past crimes committed by Japan and to urge the Government of Japan to accept its legal responsibility and implement its obligations accordingly.

(1) Human Rights in North Korea, Information received from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 10 December 2002

(2) Ibid.

(3) Information submitted by the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on the implementation of recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women for the settlement of the isse of Japanese military sexual slavery in wartime, 2002

North Korea reacts to the Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women

Four human rights NGOs are targeted by North Korean authorities: "Committee on Human Rights in North Korea" (USA), "Fund for Relief of North Korean refugees" (Japan), "Citizen's alliance on human rights in North Korea" (South Korea) and "Droits de l'homme sans frontires/ Human Rights Without Frontiers" (Belgium)

Comments on the alleged situation of women's rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea contained in the report of Ms. Radhika Coomararswany, U.N. Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (E/CN.4/2003/75/Add.1)

E/CN.4/2003/G/61 - 2 April 2003

The report (E/CN.4/2003/75/Add.1) of Ms. Radhika Coomararswany, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, in paragraphs 966 and 967, unfortunately refer to the situation of women's rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a distorted way based on the unsubstantiated information submitted by an irresponsible non-governmental organization (NGO).

The Government of DPRK has been systematically ensuring the promotion and protection of women's rights, both legally and practically, through the Constitution providing gender equality and other laws, as well as various measures of social benefits.

The root-cause of violence against women in the DPRK, as alleged by the Special Rapporteur, does not exist at all.

First of all, trafficking in women is prohibited by law and practice as well.

It is true that in mid-1990s there have been some incidents of certain number of our citizens including women and girls illegally transgressing the DPRK-China border to reach the north-eastern part of China in search of food, due to lack of food as a result of continued natural disasters and persistent economic embargo by hostile forces. However, most of those border-transgressors voluntarily return to their native places as the food situation gradually improves thanks to the active measures taken by the Government of the DPRK to increase agricultural production and generous assistance provided by the international humanitarian aid agencies.

The cause of concern in this regard is the fact that certain aliens have been deeply involved in seducing, kidnapping and finally trafficking the DPRK citizens including women and girls at the instigation and with financial support of the anti-DPRK plot organizations and institutions such as "Committee on Human Rights in North Korea" in the United States, "Fund for Relief of North Korean refugees" in Japan, "Citizen's alliance on human rights in North Korea" in South Korea and "Droits de l'homme sans frontieres" in Belgium, etc.

The DPRK authorities concerned are closely cooperating with their counterparts in China to detect and bring to justice those responsible for seducing, kidnapping and trafficking our citizens.

Secondly, it is completely wrong to argue in the report that women in the DPRK are subjected to several methods of torture and forcible abortion in prison or during interrogations.

The information contained in the report can be construed as nothing but fabrications uttered, under forced scenario, by a handful of traitors who the forces hostile to the DPRK have tempted and brainwashed underground into betraying their motherland.

"Christian Solidarity Worldwide", an NGO cited by Special Rapporteur as a source of information, is one of those bogus and plot organizations that have been recruited for unjustifiable purpose of defaming and stifling the DPRK.

For all reasons mentioned above, the Government of the DPRK expresses its deep concern over and resolute objection to paragraphs 966 and 967 of the report taking up issues, which have been neither confirmed by the Special Rapporteur nor exist in reality.

We reiterate that the vital principles of objectivity and impartiality should be strictly observed in the preparation of reports by Special Rapporteurs.