ICC Note: In the highly publicized peace talks between the U.S. and North Korea, the issue of human rights is yet to be comprehensively addressed. It is difficult to tell to what extent it has  been addressed thus far but many are concerned that the talks have lost focus on improving things in country for North Korean citizens.

07/09/2018 North Korea (Channel News Asia) The North Korean talks process with the United States and South Korea is sidelining the human rights of Pyongyang’s oppressed citizens, the United Nations’ top official on the issue said Monday (Jul 9).

In a whirlwind of diplomacy, the leader of the isolated, nuclear-armed North Kim Jong Un held an unprecedented summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore last month, after two earlier meetings with the South’s Moon Jae-in.

It is a marked contrast to the mutual threats and mounting fears of last year, instead raising hopes of reaching a deal over North Korea’s arsenal, which include nuclear bombs and missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.

But Pyongyang remains accused by many – including the UN – of a litany of rights abuses against its population.

Neither the joint statement issued by Trump and Kim in Singapore, nor the earlier Panmunjom Declaration signed by Kim and Moon, mentioned the issue of human rights.

“It seems that those who are negotiating are losing sight of this important thing, which is would this process benefit at the end the people living in North Korea,” said Tomas Ojea Quintana, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on human rights in the North.
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