North Korea the Worst in Terms of Human Rights Violations

In its report on global human rights announced by U.S. State Department on February 25, North Korea was evaluated as one of the most merciless violators of human rights.

What was said about North and South Korea was as follows:

-North Korea

Basic freedoms are ignored and the government’s devastation of human rights is widespread.

The nation has no right to change the government, and leaders of government regard international standards of human rights, especially individual rights, as something illegal, heterogeneous, and destructive to the goals of the government and parties. Murders, kidnappings, and unlawful forced detentions have been reported in succession.

Approximately 150 to 200 thousand people seem to be in detention for political reasons. The condition of political offenders’ asylum is poor, and food provision and medical treatment for them are extremely insufficient.

Torture is common in detention. According to reliable sources, it was revealed that detained pregnant women are forced to have an abortions and babies born in prison are killed at birth.

The reports from North Korea show the gloomy states of one of the world’s cruelest governments. Strict control over information reflects the level of totalitarian oppression in North Korean society.

-South Korea

Generally, human rights of the nation are respected. However, problems remain in some fields.

Women have to face discrimination in society and so do minority races. The National Security Law restricts civil freedoms, and eighteen were prosecuted last year.

The government gave up direct control of speech, but a number of affairs have shown that it tries to pressure to the press through tax investigations and other legal or administrative actions.

Some press companies were punished by legal actions for defamation of character or slander. The government has announced that even editorials, which contain opinion, can be a subject to legal action if “falsehoods” are included.

President Roh sued four major newspapers for libel last August. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) criticized President Roh’s action as infringement of the freedom of the press.

maypole@donga.com