U.N. discloses thousands of files related to North Korea human rights abuses

June 16 (UPI) – The United Nations has more than 3,830 files of human rights violations related to North Korea and maintains an electronic archive for future legal references.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in its annual report that it had added thousands of new “individual files” to its electronic records, including interviews, reports, petition letters, satellite images, court documents, videos and audio recordings, the Korean archive reported Voice of America service on Wednesday.

The UN agency said it was working with civil society organizations in South Korea to gather evidence. An unidentified human rights group has filed 748 requests to investigate various human rights violations related to North Korea, the report said.

The human rights bureau also announced that it is working with activists on the issue.

The agency “selected provided” [Civil Society Organizations] with technical advice on investigative standards for international crimes. Help and advice were offered to civil society organizations and victim groups, ”the agency said.

North Korean defectors in the south may have played a crucial role in gathering information.

“OHCHR got involved [North Korean] Refugees who have internal contacts [North Korea] to receive current information on the human rights situation in view of COVID-19, “announced the UN agency.

The agency said it organized training for 12 North Korean refugees to interview and document human rights violations.

“These initiatives have strengthened the bureau’s commitment and support to North Korean refugees,” the statement said.

The agency also announced that information has been leaked to the South Korean government. Seoul operates a North Korean human rights record center under the Unification Ministry.

According to UN reports, the human rights situation in North Korea has not improved since Kim Jong Un came to power.

UN Special Rapporteur on North Korean Human Rights Tomás Ojea Quintana said in March the regime had allowed starvation during the coronavirus pandemic, according to Radio Free Asia.