thank you for watching. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] eve in the nations capital. a live look at the u.s. capitol here, just up the street from the white house. president george h w bush was houston-area hospital for shortness of breath. a spokesperson for bush said he would be held for observation at the houston medical hot it'll for observation. he was discharged in january of last year after treatment for bronchitis and other issues.

white house eric bush released a statement to say president obama was made of the hospitalization and a quote from the president that spokesperson, president obama and first lady sent their good wishes to the former president the entire family during the holiday season. we have been showing you selections of an years of the q&a program. be sure to join us today with a conversation with robert novak. .e spoke about the memoir again, that is today at 7:00 eastern here on c-span. coming up at 8:00, president obama and the first year -- the first family as they like this years christmas tree. it includes musical performance and readings of the first lady. here is a quick look. president, mrs. obama, malia asha, merry christmas.

>> hello, everybody. from five.g to start we want to say thanks to tom and rita. we hope they are ready. we hope everyone watching at home is getting in the christmas spirit. we will start counting down right now. let's do it. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. [cheers and applause] will show you this year's white house declarations in the capital tree lighting ceremony in its entirety with congress beginning at 8:00 eastern tonight. >> here is a look at some of the programs you will find christmas

day on the c-span networks. holiday fest it he started 10:00 eastern with the lighting of the national christmas tree, followed by the white house christmas decorations with michelle obama and lighting of the capitol christmas tree. activists talk about their causes. supreme court justice samuel alito and jeb bush on the bill of rights and the founding fathers. on c-span two at 10:00 eastern, the art of good writing with steve peter -- pinker. jill lepore searches the secret of wonder woman. talking about reading habits. american history tv on c-span three at 8:00 eastern, the fall of the berlin wall was george bush and bob dole with speeches from john kennedy and ronald reagan. experts onshion

first lady's fashion choices and how they've represented the styles of the time. at 10:00, tom brokaw on more than 50 years of reporting on world events. that is this christmas day on the c-span networks. for complete schedule go to www.c-span.org. on monday, the un security council held a meeting to discuss the human rights record. rightsarted on the human situation on the agenda. representatives of china and russia voted against. to refer to the human rights situation on that human -- human national criminal court . reviewing whether to put north korea act on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. this is just under two hours.

>> the professional agenda for the meeting is the situation in the democratic people's of korea. does any member of the council wish to speak on the subject? i will get the floor now to the representative of china. >> mr. president, china is against using large-scale violence as a reason to include the situation in the agenda of the security council. the primary responsibility is to maintain national peace and security. respect the function

and division of labor. currently the international peace and security are faced challenges.s the security council should strictly applied by responsibilities and concentrate on addressing issues that address concerns of international peace and security. the situation on the korean peninsula remains complex and sensitive. opposing the goal of denuclearization, maintaining peace and stability and insisting on dialogue and consultations as a way to solve issues, these are in the interest of all parties concerned and should be direction toward which all parties should work together. the security council should work more to facilitate dialogue and ease tension and refrain from doing anything that might cause

the escalation of tension. the inclusion by the security council in this agenda and by which to get involved in the dpr k human rights issue would go against the above goals and can only bring harm instead of benefits. thank you, mr. president. >> i would like to thank the representative of china for his statement. does any other member of the council wish to take the floor? i'm going to give the floor to the representative of australia. >> mr. president, thank you and thank you for convening this meeting. i will make only a few brief remarks. i would like to start by reading the letters of the group of 10 councilmembers addressed to you, mr. president, in your capacity as president of the council on five, december, 2014. the letter stated -- "we the

undersigned members of the security council, australia, chile, france, jordan, lithuania, luxembourg, republic of korea, rwanda, united kingdom, and the united states are deeply concerned about the situation in the democratic people's republic of korea. we are particularly concerned by the scale and gravity of human rights violations detailed in the comprehensive report undertaken by the u.n. human rights council commission of inquiry in the democratic people's republic of korea -- document a contained in document s -- these violations threaten to have a destabilizing impact in the maintenance of international peace and security. therefore, we would like to

request the situation in the democratic people's republic of korea be formally placed on the council's agenda without prejudice to the item on nonproliferation in the dpr k. we request a meeting of the security council on the situation in democratic people's republic of korea, pursuant tool number two of the council -- the councils provisional rules of procedure and request a senior official from the u.n. secretariat and a senior official from the u.n. office of the high commissioner of human rights formally briefed at a meeting of the security council

under that agenda item. which would enable councilmembers to receive further information from the secretariat on this station and its implications for international peace and security. that letter was issued as counsel document s. the 10 members of the council which signed the letters are seeking the establishment of a new agenda item, the situation in democratic people's republic of korea, and as necessary, consider the deteriorating human rights system in that country. given this systematic violations of human rights taking place in the dpr k and the threat to the maintenance of international peace and security, we do not consider this can be appropriately considered by the council on an ad hoc or informal basis. second, a formal council meeting under the new agenda item must take place today. rule number two of the perceptional -- provisional rules of procedure provides why the president should call a meeting of the security council on the request of any one member of the council and it has been over two weeks since 10 councilmembers requested such a meeting. we should now proceed to adopt

the agenda which has as its subsidy items the situation in the people's democratic republic of korea." thank you, mr. president. >> i would like to thank the representative of australia for his statement. i want to drop members attention to the letter dated the cymer fifth, 2014. s 2014/872 addressed to the president of the security council from the representatives of australia, chile, the united states america, france, jordan, lithuania, luxembourg, the republic of korea, the united kingdom, great britain, northern ireland and rwanda.

in view of the request that this matter be included in the provisional agenda, in view of the comments made by the representatives of china and australia, i propose to put the provisional agenda to a vote. accordingly, i shall put it to a vote now. will those in favor of the adoption of the provisional agenda please raise their hands? thank you.

those against? any abstentions? the results of the voting are as follows -- 11 votes in favor, two votes against, and to abstentions. -- two abstentions. the provisional agenda has been adopted.

listen to the request of representative of australia, chile with the united states america, france, jordan, lithuania, luxembourg, the republic of korea, the united kingdom, great britain, ireland and rwanda contained in document s that a meeting of the council of the agenda item, the situation in the korea be convened. i shall suspend this meeting and we shall resume after a brief recess to continue consideration of the agenda item. the meeting is suspended.

>> 7353rd meeting of the security council is resumed. in accordance with rule 39, the councils provisional rules and defined by the following refers to participate in the meeting. assistant secretary general for political affairs. mr. secretary general for human rights.

>> i am going to get the floor now. ther. president, members of security council, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the security council meets at a time

when the situation of the democratic people's of korea is attracting increased attention and concern. a report of the secretary general assembly on the situation of human rights and democratic roles republic of korea and issues earlier this month. the general assembly of thought did a resolution on the human rights situation on the democratic republic of korea on the 18th of december and 19th of the federal bureau investigation of the united thats issued a report outlined the democratic republic of korea was responsible for the cyber attack targeting sony pictures entertainment.

the president is aware of this and also aware they have denied any involvement. he is alsonations aware that the democratic people's republic of korea has denied any involvement. the united nations is not privy to the information on this -- on which the fbi's conclusions are made. however, the rise in the incidence and severity of cyberattacks is an increasing concern. mr. president, the commission of inquiry established by the human rights council gave voice to the many victims of human rights violations and provided a roadmap for democratic people's republic of korea to adhere to universal standards. the commission concluded that -- and i quote "the gravity, scale and nature of the violations within the state that does not have any -- in the contemporary world."

the commission changed the tone of the discussion on the democratic people's republic of korea. it is not just the nuclear issue that deserves international attention and action. a discussion in the security council today allows for a more comprehensive assessment and action in addressing the security and stability concerns and the korean peninsula -- in the korean peninsula. in keeping with its obligations to international law, the democratic people's republic of korea has a responsibility to protect its population from the most serious international crimes. the international community also has a collective responsibility to protect the population of the democratic republic of korea and to consider the wider implications of the human rights situation for the stability of the region.

mr. president, for the first time in 15 years, the foreign minister of the democratic people's republic of korea attended a general assembly debate in december of this year and met with the secretary-general confirming the commitment of this country to sustaining and continuing the dialogue. the democratic people's republic of korea has also undertaken active diplomatic activities around the world including europe, east africa, and northeast asia and engaged or substantially with the united nations human right system, including a periodic review. these signals of engagement mode for an important opportunity for the united nations and the wider international community to redouble efforts toward building trust, dialogue, and cooperation on all tracks.

it is also an opportunity for the democratic people's republic of korea to work with the international community to improve the human rights situation and the living conditions of the people of the country. mr. president, the democratic people's republic of korea has issued official statements making clear its objection to the general assembly resolution on the human rights situation in the country. and on the ninth of december, a spoke person for this poem -- for the foreign ministry gave a strong reaction to the meeting of the security council today. while the democratic people's republic of korea has raised the possibility of conducting a fourth nuclear test in its statement immediately before and after the third, it's recent statements have refrained from such references. the secretary-general notes the international community is firm and united in affirming the democratic people's republic of korea cannot have the status of a nuclear weapon state in accordance with the treaty of the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons.

>> in this context the six party talks remain a viable reason to achieve the reversible the nook weatherization and maintain koreannd security in the peninsula. 2005 joint statement remain solid framework for addressing these issue to a dialogue and negotiations. human rights and economic united nations urged

member states to increase the business for those in need in the democratic people's public of korea. a lifesaving impact on their lights with the most honorable. the response however is hampered by funding deficits which have been exasperated by sanctions. president, next year marks the 70th -- 70th anniversary of the second world war, the founding of the united nations and the division of the korean peninsula. the situation on the peninsula remains fragile and volatile. if the koran relations have remained deadlocked and family members separated far too long.

establishing credible dialogue and meaningful engagement is important to overcome the current standard on the korean peninsula and should go hand-in-hand with efforts to ensure accountability. the united nations will continue this on both counts and the effort of the international community. effortsd international are important to supporting these folks. all concerned parties should to make 2015 a pivotal year to improve the human rights situation and democratic republic of korea and to move to a demon colorized peace for the peninsula. thank you. i would like to thank him for his briefing.

i look at the floor. >> mr. president, let me mention my commissioner is sorry he could not address the council today himself. mr. president, distinguished numbers of the council. earlier this year the representative of the democratic of the host republic of korea spoke very vividly to the council about savageness of boat or talladega crimes against humanity's committed against korean people during the second world war. be listed production, forcible recruitment, forced that and sexual crimes trampled on the dignity of korean women and nation as a whole. this is the kind of compassion we are seek him for the victims

in the korean peninsula today. the victims of discrimination, murder, enslavement, and torture. rate, forced abortions and other sexual violence. victims of persecution of political, racial, and gender grounds. people who have been forcibly transferred, whose loved ones have been inducted or disappeared without trace. people who have been deliberately starved for long times. according to the commission of inquiry, these crimes have been perpetrated in the dpr cape. a widespread and cpi the -- systematic model. in many institute -- instances

they constitute crimes against humanity. before you today is the report of the commission. rarely has such an extensive charge of international crimes brennan -- then brought to this council's attention. characterized by a brutally enforced to rival of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, as well as the rights to freedom of opinion, information and association. this classification calibrates perceived loyal to the state generates an extensive -- extensive discrimination throughout the country where it intersects with gender-based discrimination, it increases the vulnerability of women and limits opportunities. government -- dprk

as he is denial of rights to control its people. this has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people according to the commission, particularly during the famine of the 1990's and have inflicted permanent and physical injuries on the survivors. in november 2013 figure when with the world food program households, eight-nine families out of 10 were not consuming enough food. according to the latest national nutrition survey, in 2012, 28% of children under five suffered something from malnutrition and almost one women in four has

been so starved she rest deaths risked giving birth to premature or underweight children. those who managed to flee the country may fall them to trafficking networks and flow often face forced marriage and forced prostitution. if forcibly returned they face andure, prolonged detention even execution. the commission expressed its deepest horror at the political prison camps system whose inmates suffered starvation, forced labor, execution, .orture, rape, forced abortion the commission estimated that hundreds of thousands of prisoners have perished in these

camps over the past 50 years and they currently hold 80,000 to 220,000 people. the representatives have acknowledged the egg -- the existence of what they call in former tories. .- reformatory's i find that with honesty, transparency in international assistance you can find a way to dismantle the camp system and release and rehabilitate prisoners. other countries in the region have shown it is possible to release thousands of political prisoners and rollback systems. mr. president, the commission of inquiry has highlighted the of security in the region overall. the sustained military focused and nuclear priority of the

governments have been pursued at the expense of the economic and social rights, as well as the lives and well-being of its people. the human rights violations have had significant impact on the regional security. from international affections and it disappearances to trafficking and out for of desperate refugees. if we are to reduce tensions in the region, there must be movement toward real respect of human rights. this is deserving of the security council fullest attention and action. since the commission of inquiry report was published in march with the prospect of action by this council. the authorities have shown promising new signs of engagement with international human rights.

in the periodic review in the human rights council and for the first time accepted numerous recommendations addressing human assistance, women and children's rights health, and education. representatives also held an unprecedented meeting. for theo indicated first time willingness to accept assistance. moreover, the bilateral negotiations and japan have opened the investigation into alleged abductions of japanese nationals. i hope the process will be good in transparency and with faith, for theto truth families. it will be in foreign to bring clarity.

all of the developments may present an opportunity for real change. other countries in the region have shown in the recent past it is possible to dismantle the this leading to new recognition and standard in international community. givefice will naturally all possible support to such progress together with the international human rights mechanisms, and here, i note they should be invited to visit without preconditions. there will be a as mountedstructure by resolution 2525. this will follow up the commission of inquiry to support

the special effort there and served as a hub for documentation, ethical assistance and advocacy to account -- accountability and improved human rights. excellency's real change in the human rights situation in the democratic republic of korea reform.uire not only it demands justice. for the first time that you when -mandated body has qualified human rights violations in the dprk in terms of international this is significant in establishing individual and individual accountability, but also invokes the international community's responsibility to take action to prevent and punish such crimes. an overwhelming the geordie of the humantes and

rights council as well as general assembly, as well as victims, survival and civil society organizations around the come have asked that you at the security council of the united nations take action on the report, including five referral to the international criminal courts and by adopting targeted sanctions. have seen this year, concerted actions by the international community can have a powerful effect and may begin to change the policy. i believe the security council accountability and engagement for reform. today's discussion has placed them on notice. the council should carefully monitor developments in the coming months to see where the

engagement needs real change or to take further action. distinguished members of the council, the people have endured decades of suffering and cruelty. they need your protection. course of justice, peace and security in the region requires your leadership. thank you. >> i thank you. i now get the floor to the members of the council who wish to make statements. i give the floor to the representative of australia. >> thank you, the president. today's meeting is a historic step forward for the international community's effort

andonsider the situation the broader implications. it also sends a vital message to the people of north korea nonproliferation of nuclear that the international community is aware vweapons. with them. by meeting the council recognizes the dangerous threats to international peace and security posed by the regime is not limited to its weapons program and the liberation activity but the threat also close from the atrocious treatment of its people and determination to use every means possible to resist action it perceives as a challenge to authority. it is an affected totalitarian state that uses violence and repression against its own citizens to maintain itself and threatening military power. this has created an inherently

unstable state. the deprivation of the pupil fund the policy. australia strongly disagrees. history shows human right violations of the type and scale we're seeing in north korea have reverberations will be on the country in which they are committed. they mount to a rejection of international norms which inform stable societies. as we have seen time and again, serious violations of human rights service as a warning sign of instability and conflict, especially in the absence of accountabilities for such by -- with the publication of the seminal report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the dprk, the international community now has a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of a systematic and

white sprayed human rights violations being committed by the north korean regime. the report is deeply disturbing and compels a response. the commission's findings on the extent of the dprk's program highlight the hold on power. the program seeks to instill national hatred, constituting incitement to violence and propaganda for war. the commission's report lays bare the depraved nature of the dprk regime's tools of control, including the denial of access to basic human needs -- food, water, heating, shelter, work. the massive humanitarian catastrophe that has resulted from the scale of the dprk's reign of terror has affected all the dprk's neighbors and threatens regional stability. there is a legal restriction on the freedom of expression.

one witness told the commission that no one would their object to the harsh living conditions in the dprk and "protest is equivalent to death." citizens are forced to denounce conduct that is perceived by the regime as a threat to it. family members must report on each other. surveillance apparatus interest harsh punishment for those who do not comply. the extreme militarization of the dprk has come at a devastating cost. the north korean people have paid for the world's fourth largest army and the development of nuclear weapons at it and increasingly sophisticated missile system to deliver them with mass starvation and deprivation. the commission estimates that the dprk devote up to 25% of its gross national product to defense expenditure, and yet the commission also finds malnutrition and starvation in the dprk could have been avoided through even a marginal redistribution of state military spending. the commission also found that entrenched patterns of discrimination based on uniquely harsh class system which is systematically applied to maintain control against perceived threats, external and

in rural, and likewise the extreme restrictions on the freedom of movement within north korea and across its borders are designed to maximize state control. punishment of violations are severe, often vicious and inhumane. women who are subjected to horrific discrimination resort international traffickers to escape. the torturer they endure if they return cannot be regarded as a solely domestic concern. one of the cruelest policies of the regime is the system of political prison camps. an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 are imprisoned about trial in four political prison camps, and commission found that a majority, including children, had no prospect of ever being release. summary executions another cruel after judicial punishments lead to violations of camp rules, and

torture is routine. the limited information that seeps up from the secret camps creates a specter of fear among the general population, creating a powerful deterrent against any future challenges to the political system. the commission found the information it received established that crimes against humanity have been committed in the dprk pursuant to policies established at the highest level of the state. we strongly support the commission's conclusion that the international community must accept its responsibility to protect the people of north korea from crimes against humanity because the dprk government has manifestly failed to do so.

the gravity, the scale, and the nature of these human rights violations distinguishes north korea as a state that in the commission's words has no parallel in the contemporary world. the need for international response could not be more obvious. this view is clearly shared by a majority of u.n. member states who last thursday adopted resolution 69-188 in the general assembly, which cemented the commission's report to this council for consideration and action. this is brought recognition by the u.n. membership that this council has a responsibility on

this issue, including to assure accountability for the crimes being committed. these crimes are integral components of the dprk political system. we must assume that crimes against humanity will continue if there is no international response. a core element of the commission's mandate is to ensure accountability for human rights violations, in particular when such violation are -- the general assembly has called on the council to consider this recommendation. australia believes that crimes against humanity documented in the commission's report warrant the intention of the international criminal court. in the absence of any move by the north korean regime to ensure accountability, the council should seriously consider this recommendation. mr. president, the north korean regime does have the power to change its behavior. most of the commission's recommendations are directed towards the dprk itself.

the dprk's recent indications of a purported willingness to increase its cooperation with the international community on human rights will welcome -- are welcome, but those offers have since been withdrawn and there has been no sign of any internal reform. instead, the dprk has responded to the general assembly's call for it to engage on human rights issues by denouncing that call and indicating that it would engage in further hostile acts. when the dprk response human rights criticisms, threats to use nuclear weapons, it only strengthens the link between the dprk's human rights policies and international peace and security.

it must change course. it can take steps immediately to put an end to human rights violations in its country, which only further weakened the north korean people and the stability of the state itself. it can commit to cooperate with the international community by extending full cooperation to the special representative on the situation of human rights in the dprk, including by granting in full, free, and unimpeded access to the dprk and by providing unfettered access to humanitarian agencies. there are options for the dprk regime, humane options, and we will continue to press its leadership to embrace them. the assistant secretary general has mentioned some of them a moment ago. we are realistic about the brutal prospects for the north korean people and what needs to be done to provide them a measure of protection, and look to those countries that have most influence on north korea, including those in the north asian region and other partners to continue to press the case for fundamental change to the dprk state apparatus. we know that this will not be easy. to conclude, the security council must also live up to its responsibilities in the light of actions by the regime, particularly in relation to

accountability for crimes against humanity. given the scale of the human rights violations and their links to international peace and security, it is essential that the council remains apprised of the situation. the council must regularly assess it situation and give it serious consideration to further action might take in the interests of the north korean people themselves and in support of peace and security in their region and globally. thank you. >> i thank the representative of the australia for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of the united states. >> thank you, mr. president, and thank you for your informative and appropriately bleak briefings and for the ongoing attention your respective teams give to the situation in the dprk in spite of persistent

obstacles put up the north korean government. today's meeting reflect the growing consensus among councilmembers and u.n. member states that the widespread and systematic human rights violations been committed by the north korean government are not only deplorable in their own right, but also pose a threat to international peace and security. a major impetus for the security council taking up this issue was the comprehensive report issued in february 2014 by the u.n. human rights council commission of inquiry. it conducted more than 200 confidential interviews with witnesses, eyewitnesses, and former officials and held public hearings in which more than 80 witnesses gave testimony. accounts were corroborated by other evidence, such as satellite imagery confirming the

location of prison camps. north korea denied the commission access to the country, consistent with its policy of routinely denied access to independent human rights and humanitarian groups, including the red cross and u.n. special representatives. despite this, the dprk refused to cooperate. the main finding of commission's thorough and objective report is that "systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations have been and are being committed by the democratic people's republic of korea." the commission found that the evidence it gathered provided reasonable grounds to determine that crimes against humanity have been committed in the

democratic people's republic of korea, resort to policies established at the highest level of the estate. if you have not watched any of the hours of victims' testimony or read from hundreds of pages of transcripts from the public hearings, i urge you to do so. they show north korea for what it is, a living nightmare. a former prisoner of prison camp 15 said she and other prisoners were so famished that they picked kernels of corn from the dung of cattle to eat. she said if there was a day that we were able to have mouse, that was a special diet for us. we had to eat everything alive, every type of meat we could find, everything that flew, that crawled on the ground, any grass that grew in the field. a former guard at prison camp 22 spoke of guards routinely raping prisoners. in one case in which a victim became pregnant and gave birth, the former guard reported that prison officials cooked her baby and fed it to their dogs. this sounds unbelievable and unthinkable.

if this is what a former guard told the commission of inquiry at a public hearing. his account fits in pattern across testimonies of sadistic punishment meted out to prisoners whose crime was being raped by officials. the commission estimates between 80000 and 120,000 people are being held in prison camps on like the ones where so many of these crimes occurred. any who testified before the commission were tortured as punishment for trying to flee north korea. one man who was in back to the dprk from china described being held in a prison cell that were only around 50 centimeters high, just over a foot and a half. he said the guards told him because the prisoners were animals they would have to crawl like animals. a woman told how her brother tried to flee. when he returned, officials bound his hands and chained them on to the back of a truck before dragging him five kilometers, driving three loops around the

city, so everyone could see, his when he fell down, they kept on driving. nor are the horrors limited to prison camps. as well as the rights to freedom of expression, information and association in the dprk. on december 18, the u.n. general assembly passed a resolution expressing grave concern at the commission's finding and condemning the violations of human rights. 116 member states voted in favor, 20 against, and 53 abstained. the resolution also encouraged the security council to take appropriate action to ensure accountability, including through consideration of

referral of the situation in the democratic people's republic of korea to the international criminal court and consideration of the scope for targeted sanctions against those who appear to be most responsible. the security council should demand the dprk change its atrocious practices, which demonstrate a fundamental disregard for human rights and constitute a threat to international peace and security. we should take this on for three reasons. first, the dprk's response to the commission of inquiry report and to the prospect of today's session showed that it is sensitive to criticism of its human rights record. just look at all the different strategies north korea has tried in the past several months to distract attention from the report to delegitimize its findings, and to avoid scrutiny of its human rights record. dprk the ramped up its propaganda machine, publishing its own report and claiming the world's most advantageous human

rights system. the dprk tried to smear the repetition of hundreds of people who were brave enough to speak out about the heinous abuses they suffered, calling them human scum, bereft of even an iota of conscience. this was in a statement north korea sent to the security council today. and north korea launched slurs against the commission's distinguished chairman, justice kirby. the dprk deployed threat saying any effort to hold it more accountable for its trustees would be met with catastrophic consequences. all of north korea's responses to threats, the smears, the cynical diversions show that the government feels the need to defend its abysmal human rights record and that is precisely why our attention is so important. the second argument for inserting additional pressure is that when regimes warn of deadly reprisals against countries that condemn their atrocities, as the north koreans have done, that is

precisely the moment when we need to stand up and not back down. dictators who see threats are effective tools for silencing the international community tend to be emboldened and not placate, and it holds true not only for the north korean regime, but for human rights violators around the world who are watching how the security council response to the dprk's threats. the dprk is already shockingly cavalier about dishing out threats of staging nuclear attacks and has routinely flouted the prohibitions on proliferation imposed by the security council. in july, north korea's military threatened to launch nuclear threats to the pentagon and the white house, and it threatened to launch a preemptive strike on the united states saying everything will be reduced to ashes and flames. in the most recent example of its recklessness, the dprk

carried out a significant cyber attack on the united states in response to a hollywood comedy portraying a farcical assassination plots. stole massive quantities of personal and commercial data from sony pictures entertainment, not only damaging a private sector entity, but affecting countless entities who work for the company. the attackers also threatened sony's employers, actors, theaters, and people who dared to go to the theater showing the movie, warning them to remember the 11th of september. not content with denying freedom of expression to its own people, the north korean regime now seems intent on suppressing the exercise of this fundamental freedom in our nation. north korea also threatened the united states with serious consequences if our country did not conduct a joint investigation with the dprk into an attack that they carried out.

this is absurd. it is exactly the kind of behavior we have come to expect from a regime that threatened to take merciless countermeasures against the u.s. over a hollywood comedy and has no qualms about holding tens of thousands of people in gulags. we cannot tolerate threats or intimidation of any kind. third, the international community does not need to choose between focusing on north korea's proliferation of nuclear weapons and focusing on its abuses against its own people. that is a false choice. we must do both, as we have seen throughout history. the way countries treat their own citizens, particularly those systems who commit atrocities against their people, and to align closely with the way they treat other countries and the norms of our shared international system. on november 23, a week after the u.n. adopted a resolution, north korea said all involved in its

adoption deserve a severe punishment and warned again of catastrophic consequences. there presumably all would imply more than 100 member states who voted for the resolution. the military also said if japan continued behaving as now, it will disappear from the world map. when a country threatens nuclear annihilation because it receives criticism of how it treats its own people, can there be any doubt regarding the connection between north korea's human rights record and peace and security? north korea did not want us to meet today and vociferously oppose the country's human rights situation being added to the agenda. if the dprk wants be taken off the security council's agenda, it can start by following the commission of inquiry's

recommendations to acknowledge the violations a continues to commit, immediately dismantle political prison camps, and release political prisoners can allow free and unfettered access by independent human rights observers, and hold accountable those most responsible for its systematic violations. knowing the utter improbability of north korea making those at a long list of other necessary changes, it is incumbent on the security council consider the commission of inquiry's recommendation that the situation in north korea be referred to the international criminal court and to consider other appropriate action on accountability as 116 member states have urged the council to do. in the meantime, the united states will support the efforts of the office of the high commissioner for human rights to establish a field-based office to continue documenting the dprk's human rights violations as mandated by the human rights council, as well as support the work of a special representatives. both should breathe the council

in future sessions on this issue -- briefly council in future sessions on this issue. it is also crucial all of dprk's neighbors abide by the principle, given the horrific abuses north koreans are subjected to upon return and provide access in their countries. the united states will continue to welcome north korean refugees to our country and help provide assistance to north korean asylum seekers in other countries. it is reasonable to debate the most effective strategy to end the nightmare of north korea's human rights crisis. what is unconscionable in the face of these widespread abuses and dangerous, given the threat the situation poses to international peace and security, is to stay silent. silence will not make the north korean government end its abuses. silence will not make the international community safer. we have begun to shine the light

and what it reveals is terrified -- terrifying. we must continue to shine the light as long as abuses persist. today's session is another important step but far from the last towards accountability for the crimes committed against the people of north korea. the council must come back to speak regularly about the human rights situation and what we can do to change it for as long as the crimes that brought us here today persist. that is the absolute minimum we can and must do. thank you, mr. president. >> i thank the representative of the united states for her statement, and i would give the floor to the representative of france. >> mr. president, i would like to thank them for their briefings. what they have described for us today backs up the information contained in the report of the

bymission of inquiry chaired mr. kirby. the work carried out by the commission is not only outstanding in terms of quality. it has provided a comprehensive overview. decided upon at the highest level of the state, as stated in the report, this has shed light on a horrifying mechanism, that of the regime of pyongyang used to subjugate its people. it would not be possible to list a complete litany of all these crimes. murders, arrests, use of torture, kidnapping, rape, and slavery,sappearances,

and the use of famine. hundreds of thousands of political prisoners have died in the camps over the last 50 years. 80 to 120 are currently being held. affect men,ions women, and they don't even spare children. the regime seems to know no limits. the council has finally convened and gathered to hear the cries of distress. the more these crimes are carried out and committed in the purity of absolute censorship, north korea is closed out to human rights organizations. as well as to the high commission of human rights. the commission of inquiry did not have access. mr. president we cannot remain , silent in the face of this nightmare. those responsible for this

terror, first and foremost the north korean authorities, should be held to account for these crimes. the crimes will not go unpunished. it is a moral obligation for the international community that was underscored. there is no doubt these crimes in terms of their scale, the systematic nature are all crimes against humanity. the recommendation of the commission of inquiry that the situation be referred to the icc is one that should therefore be considered carefully by this council. the court is a very guarantee of equitable and effective justice. the fight against impunity of justice for the victims and future consolidation are at stake. -- reconciliation are all at stake. the office on the ground which is currently set up should monitor the recommendations of the report and developments of the situation. they also have to continue to gather information on violations committed. we would like to have the council debriefed regularly.

mr. president, violations committed by the regime are a threat to international peace and security. they are a central component of a dangerous to tell a terry and political system destabilizing the region. the severity, scale, and nature of these violations reveal what is a unique state, a state unique in terms of terror, a pariah state. a state which exports, and breach of this council's resolutions, sensitive goods and technologies, which then finance in decent lifestyles of their leaders and repression of a population regularly struck by famine. the security council could no longer ignore these crimes, which shocked mankind's

conscience. it was our responsibility to see this issue. by holding this meeting today, the council has sent a clear message to pyongyang. the weight held over the head of the people and country cut off from the rest of the world must be lifted. north korea's reality is obvious to all. the security council has been seized. nothing, not even the nuclear blackmail, will keep us from considering the situation. the regime in pyongyang must take its responsibility. the violations must come to an end. political prisoners must be released. to company must open up international authorities, ngo's, and finally the united nations. instead of launching into a new cycle of provocation and repression, the north korean regime will hear our message and

finally choose the path of openness and reconciliation and peace. >> i would like to thank the representative of france for his statement and give the floor to the representative of nigeria. >> thank you very much, mr. president. my delegation thinks them for -- thanks them for their briefings. it is essential to ensuring all human beings live in dignity. we also believe all states have an obligation to promote and protect the rights of their citizens. as one of the three core pillars of the united nations the organization has put in place appropriate mechanisms for promoting and protecting human rights across the globe. these mechanisms include special procedures, the report and review.

nigeria knows the dprk participated in the first and second circles of the upr. we also note the ambassador met with a special repertory on the situation of human rights. nigeria encourages the d prk to maintain engagement with the view rights council with a to promoting the rights of the citizens. i thank you, sir. i think the representative of and ia for his statement give the floor to the representative of luxembourg. president.u, mr.

i would like to begin by thanking you for having it willing to take the steps necessary for the steps necessary for the country to be included in the agenda and for this public briefing held at the behest of 10 member states and members of the council, including my country, luxembourg. i thank them for their briefings on the situation and the consequences on international peace and security over the last decade. methodically flouted international law, underlying the regime and defying the security council, ignoring its international obligations.

has continued with missile tests. the dprk has refused to engage in a constructive dialogue with the international community and continues to offer regular threats of nuclear strikes. this exacerbates the risks and constitutes a threat to international peace and security. no one can deny this, but there's more. just as the dprk seriously violates for many decades on an unrivaled scale the most elemental rights of its people, this is documented methodically with rigor and transparency in the report published by the commission of inquiry created by the un human rights council to

look into the human rights in the dprk. i will not run through the macabre list of human rights atrocities committed by north korea. this would make us all nauseated. i would like to underscore three points that come out in the detailed report of the coi. first the violations noted are within and covered by international law and their own statutes that shows the existence of the crimes against humanity. the office of these crimes benefit from full impunity as these actions are taken in the framework of policies ordered by the highest level of the state. third, these violations hit without distinction the most vulnerable sectors of the population. women, who are subjected to systematic discrimination and

intolerable abuse, often sexual abuse. children are the first victims of famine, and they are not spared by the political camps. i would like along these lines to note the testimony of the man who escaped one of these camps, camp 14. his testimony concerns a small girl, seven years of age, who had the audacity to pick up grains of cereal to quash her hunger, and i will quote from the report. two times a week a guard would

choose a child and subject that child to an inspection to ensure the child had not stolen or hidden anything. the child of seven had the bad luck of being chosen. there were grains of cereal. the guard asked where they had come from. the girl responded to pick them up in the street. there is a wooden club the guards tended to use, and the guard said, that's not what i taught you. you do not respect my teachings. the girl was beaten with the level of violence that led to her falling unconscious. we had to carry her home to her mother. the next day when she did not show up at school, we found out she had died. president -- we cannot separate the bellicose posture of the dprk from the situation domestically or what comes at the instigation of the leaders of the regime. respect for human rights is a hallmark of a stable society willing to live in peace with its neighbors and humane living

conditions imposed on large sectors of the population represent a risk to the country, and based on that, the entire region. hence, it is essential the security council consider the recommendations contained in the report. one of these recommendations explicitly on the human rights situation and the dprk, adopted by a large majority on 18 september calls for the icc to be seized of this matter. luxembourg fully supports this recommendation, as it is essential those responsible for these atrocities unequaled in contemporary times committed by the dprk be held to account for their acts. we believe the security council

should consider the option of targeted sanctions against those most responsible for those crimes against humanity committed in the dprk. we also invite the north korean authorities to authorize the visit of the special rapporteur without delay and with respect to the united nations applicable to fact-finding missions. this would be the sign that dprk authorities are sincere in their willingness to cooperate with the special procedures all the human rights council, the hrc. further, given the scale of discrimination suffered by women, given the scale of violation and abuse they are victims of, we believe women should act within the scope of their competencies. president, today's meeting, the

first of its kind, should not be without a follow-up. now that this item is on the security council's agenda, we encourage the council to regularly be briefed on the situation in the dprk. the briefings have strengthened our conviction that it is the duty of the council to closely follow the changing situation, which has an intrinsic link to peace and security, development, and respect for human rights, to paraphrase. to conclude, i should like to hail the work of the commission of inquiry. madam, madam --

they have been able to bring us to look at the realogy of north korea through the lens of the mistreated, the powerless, and the voiceless, and those excluded by the regime. their work, the work of the human rights council and general assembly and today in the council, have allowed a voice to be given to those without a voice in the dprk. their message is not deaf to the suffering of these people. we will not abandon them to their sad fate. they are worthy of our attention and our support on an ongoing basis until they are allowed to leave this ordeal. >> i thank the representative of luxembourg for their statement, and i give the floor to the representative of jordan. >> thank you, sir, for organizing this important meeting.

go to and appreciation the assistant secretary and the assistant secretary general for human rights on their briefings of the situation in the dprk, although most of those who took the floor depended on limited sources of information and due to the impossibility of carrying out an investigation and inquiry into the dprk in order to find firsthand the effects in that country. we find the picture is very bleak regarding the situation in the dprk. the situation constitutes a menace to the international peace and security. this is abundantly clear by the

threat to carry out new nuclear experiments or develop new ballistic missiles or to test the launch. all those constitute violations of the security council resolution and the u.n. charter, all through grave and systematic violations of international humanitarian law and human rights nearly every day. all this also includes the violation of the right to food, andright to movements expression, in addition to the forced disappearances and torture and inhumane treatment in the political detention camps. the security council should not ignore the situation in the dprk. it should make every effort to put an end to the serious

violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in that country and to put in and also to the use of nuclear -- an end also to the use of nuclear weapons. and the threat of the use of such weapons. including to take tangible actions in order to meet the concerns of the international community by allowing the special rapporteur on human rights to visit the dprk and to permit the humanitarian agencies to work inside the country. i thank you, sir. >> i thank you, representative of jordan, for her statement. i now give the floor to the representative of the u.k. >> thank you, mr. president. i would like to thank the assistant secretary-general's

s for theiry-general' appropriately bleak briefings. in february of this year the international community received a wake-up call to the truth -- shocking violations of rights in the dprk. in a 400 page report, the inquiry presented an insight into the appalling situation in the dprk. due to the refusal to cooperate or allow access to the country, the commission gathered firsthand testimony from witnesses and victims now living outside the dprk. what they heard painted a picture of authorities who are so frightened of losing control that indoctrination begins in kindergarten. so scared of what will happen if ordinary people get a glimpse of the outside world that just owning a tunable radio is a criminal offense. so insecure that religion is

seen as a sign of divided loyalties and an act of treachery. the report describes a regime so paranoid punishments are extended to whole families, so cruel those fleeing for a better life are imprisoned, tortured, and sexually violated. so callous that it stood by and let hundreds of thousands die from starvation rather than ask for international assistance. the commission concluded the systematic widespread and gross human rights violations being committed in the dprk were components of a totalitarian state without parallel in the contemporary world. he called on the international community to protect the people of the dprk, given the international community's failure to do so.

the international community cannot ignore such detailed and grave findings. since the report issued, we have work to ensure the commission's report is the beginning and not an end. the setting up of a presence in seoul is a demonstration of the determination not to forget the people of the dprk. this field office will continue evidence collection is an important step towards accountability. it is a reminder to those that any level of the regime apparatus responsible for these awful human rights violations that the world is watching and that they should consider themselves put on notice. if the dprk fails to hold violators to account, the international community must be ready to do so. both the un's human rights council and the general assembly have condemned in the strongest

terms the findings documented in the commission of inquiry report and demonstrated the widespread concern across the globe at the enduring misery of the north korean people. both have encouraged the council to consider the human rights situation in the dprk. the united kingdom support the call for the security council to consider appropriate action to ensure accountability, including through consideration of the referral of the situation in the dprk to the international criminal court. mr. president, despite these calls from the human membership, there were those who opposed discussion in the security council today, but the failure of states to abide by the universal principles and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms as set out in the u.n. charter and the declaration of human rights is a legitimate concern of the security council.

human rights, democracy, and strong institutions founded on the rule of law are essential. without these foundations in place, peace and security are at risk, both in individual states, and in the wider international community. that's why the united kingdom is pleased with the situation, and -- that the situation with the dprk has been added to the agenda and we have been able to have this long-overdue discussion. it is a signal to the dprk authorities of the international community's focus on the issues highlighted in the commission of inquiry's report. our message to the authorities in pyongyang is this. listen and engage with these concerns. the majority of the recommendations in the commission's report are directed towards the dprk government. it is the dprk government that holds the power to transform the lives of its people for the better. rather than continuing to deny the existence of human rights violations and refusing to engage with international

concerns, we urge them to accept and address them seriously. we are disappointed the dprk responded to the recent commission by withdrawing previous offers of dialogue and the request to visit the country for the first time. the united kingdom urges them to reconsider. if then fully and without preconditions, these would be first positive -- if done fully and without prince conditions -- without preconditions these would be a first move in making an effort to approve -- improve human rights on the ground. the dprk has an opportunity. the united kingdom stands ready to adjust opposition in response to concrete steps the dprk takes to improve human rights in the country. if the dprk continues to flout obligations they owe to their people, the international community should be ready to

take further steps to address the situation. we urge the council to remain seized of this matter. i thank you. >> i think the representative of the united kingdom for his -- i thank the representative of the united kingdom for his statement and i now give the floor to the representative from china. >> mr. president, china has stated its opposition to the international involvement in the issues in the dprk. china has been against imposing pressure against other countries with the pretext of human rights issues. the security council is not a forum to discuss human rights issues. we oppose the adoption of any document by the council on the human rights situation in the dprk.

china is a close neighbor of the korean peninsula. we will never allow any turbulence or war taking place in the peninsula. at present the situation in the korean peninsula remains complex and sensitive. we hope members of the council and relevant parties place their interest in demilitarization as a priority, exercise restraint, and to what is conducive to easing of tension and refrain from any rhetoric or actions that may lead to an escalation of tension. china will continue to work for the realization of a deed d nuclear iced --

denuclearized peninsula and welcome dialogue and consultation. this position is clear and firm. china hopes the relevant parties will make a concerted effort to take real actions to create conditions for the relaunch of the six party talk with a view to jointly maintain a situation of peace and stability of the peninsula. thank you. >> i thank the representative of china for his statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of chile. >> we thank them for the briefing. we also thank the organization

for including this in the council's agenda. as one of the promoters of this meeting, chile believes this discussion is timely and necessary. the beginning of the year saw the publishing of the report from the commission of inquiry, established by the human rights council of the united nations. this established the existence of systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations in the dprk that in many cases constitutes crimes against humanity. it's important to underscore the agreement in convergences in the reports for the commission of inquiry and also the resolutions of the human rights council and the general assembly. they point to the same conclusion.

that is to say, the critical situation of human rights in the dprk. how did pyongyang react to this debate generated on this topic? dismissing it. alleging it is a political conspiracy and an international smear campaign. the government also affirmed in written form in a letter to the secretary general dated 24th of november that this could launch -- undertake a new nuclear test. this is a clear threat to international peace and security. mr. president, it is of grave concern the dprk continues to develop its nuclear program as well as its delivery system at the great cost of the humanitarian situation for its people, despite the sanctions established pursuant to the resolution.

-- resolution 1718. this strengthens our conviction we must adopt a broader focus. it allows us to prevent a new conflict on the korean peninsula, which would have regional and global consequences and scope. it is clear the approach under which we have worked so far is not enough collectively. we must bring greater pressure to bear. it is essential the appropriate measures be adopted to put in end to the human rights violations included in the reports of the commission of angry. these measures must put an end to the climate of impunity. this must allow for accountability. we urge the dprk to offer access

to the special -- the special rapporteur for the special procedures. that is to say freedom of movement and interviews with security arrangements made for the special rapporteur and those he interviews. given the gravity of the situation in the dprk, we believe this first meeting is a measure headed in the right direction. this is an initiative we support and that we supported in a meeting of the security council last april. we hope this can be repeated regularly. thank you very much. >> i think the representative of chile for his statement, and i give the floor to the representative of rwanda. >> mr. president, let me thank you. we are pressing that the

situation in the democratic people's republic of korea be formally based on the agenda -- placed on the agenda of the security council. reward the is a country that established the worst -- rwanda is a country that suffered the worst human rights violations in 1994. which were planned and perpetrated by ev then ruling regime. in the early 1990's, the un security council did not give much attention to the genocide in rwanda. therefore 20 years later, we have to ensure the community is going to act to protect and hold perpetrators to account.

the three pillars to protect as stipulated in paragraph 138 and 139 of the 2005 document provides the state carry the primary responsibility for protecting populations of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing. this is meant to encourage and assist states in this responsibility as well as the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic other means and necessary to protect populations from these crimes. failing to protect the population, the international community must he prepared to take collective action to protect populations in accordance to the u.n. charter. we believe the security council should engage the dprk on these pillars. it is great concern of the report of the commission of inquiry, which was the subject

-- established by the human rights council with a mandate to investigate an important human right to value -- violations in the dprk. we were alarmed by the finding of the commission, which documented several crimes including murder, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence, prostitution, the forceful transfer of populations, disappearance of persons and acts of knowingly causing prolonged starvation, not to mention abduction of japanese citizens, including children, over the past decades. the commission concluded these amount to crimes against humanity. in the meantime we deplored the commission was denied access, and competent authorities did

not comment on the report of the commission of inquiry. we are encouraged to hear recently they had willingness to allow access to the territory, to the special rapporteur and to accept technical assistance for the office of the high commission human rights. we hope this opportunity will be pursued. given the situation that they voted concerning the human rights situation, we believe it was important the council receives further information on the situation as well as implications on international peace and security. during our sessions the dprk should be invited to express views and engage in general dialogue, which could lead to a better understanding and significant improvement of the

human rights violation. -- situation in the dprk. mr. president, we believe that maintaining stability in the caribbean peninsula and resolution of these disputes through dialogue are in the common interest of all parties. we urge all actors on the korean peninsula, particularly the dprk , to exercise good faith and conditions for resuming these talks and achieving the denuclearization of the korean peninsula. mr. president, we would like to encourage the u.n. secretariat and concerned you and entities to engage competent authorities to the dprk in addition to address the areas of concern in

the report. i thank you. i would like to thank the representative of rwanda for his statement. i am now going to give the floor to the representative of lithuania. president, i thank you for containing this open meeting at the request of member states. the secretaries general for their briefings. as other security council members have called for this meeting, we believe that there are violations of human rights as detailed in the report. the 370-page report is a

profoundly disturbing read, as we have heard from others earlier in this meeting. hundreds of thousands perished. more were physiologically and psychologically maimed iv regime that seeks to dominate every aspect of its citizens lives and terrorizes them from within. the very idea of this contract between a state and it citizens -- it's citizens, -- its citizens. exterminate, enslavement, forced abortions, pray the nations -- note abuse is judged harsh.h -- too state gave presidents to military spending and a nuclear's program.

provocative ballistic missile and rocket launches have been condemned by the security council and recognized as a continuing clear threat to international peace and security. as the commission of inquiry for a nuclearve state has had a profound consequence on resource thecation, particularly population which was already food insecure. the report indicates that crimes against humanity are being committed, conceived, and supported by the highest levels of the dprk government. people perish in forced labor camps. children are stunted by malnutrition. is an inseparable part of the interrogation process.

those who manage to escape are often forcibly returned and faced persecution, torture, forced abortions. the dprk -- and the country visited by the special rapporteur. we now hear that the dprk is contracting him as signals. we urge the country to engage with the international community and allow unimpeded access to human rights organizations and recommendedmeasures by the inquiry. as long as the condition within the dprk continues to deteriorate, however, it is that the to note international community will protect the people of the dprk so manifestly and liberally

ignored by their own government. [indiscernible] encourage the council to follow the general assembly's recommendation and take appropriate actions to ensure accountability, particularly through recommendation of referral of the situation inside to the international criminal court and effective sanctions to target those responsible for what the commission has said may constitute crimes against humanity. --the crimes against humanity in the dprk will continue until the policies, institutions and impunity late and place. therefore we must initiate preferred changes through

implementation of recommendations by the commission of inquiry without delay. trackuncil should progress of such implementation by holding briefings for the high commissioner of human rights. i thank you, mr. president. i think the representative of lithuania for her statement, and -- i think the representative of live the win your first statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of argentina. you, mr. president. we thank the sg for political affairs and the asg for human rights for their respective briefings. i'm not going to repeat what was already described in the report. however i'm going to make more explicit the positions of argentina on this point. is following with

great concern the situation in the dprk. argentina has voted in favor of each of the resolutions adopted in the bodies of the human rights council and the u.n. committee. 2025 and resolution 69 188 of the general assembly. both condemn in the strongest terms the gross, widespread, and systematic violations committed in this country in the dprk. like to we would also make clear that we believe the exception, and

the security council should concentrate on its responsibility in the u.n. theter that establishes responsibility of bodies of the u.n. it is indicated the security council is required to hear matters of international peace and security. it would not contribute to the funding of proper the u.s. is simply security council to extend its work and range of action. this exception, this decision, an exception founded on previous recommendations from the human rights council and the general assembly, should not be precedent that would extend this practice. , as in the human rights council, argentina wishes to express its concern over the inclusion of the commission of inquiry that there are and have been systematic, widespread, and gross human rights violations.

we deplore this. we also are concerned regarding the conclusions of the commission of inquiry of the existence of crimes against humanity. argentina, mr. president, has we areintaining that concerned over the nuclear and ballistic missile programs in the dprk and the risks these of theo these stability region, as well as its implications on international peace and security. situation such as this recall the importance of diplomatic means, negotiations, political , and we recommend parties in this council relaunch efforts to dialogue with the aim of bringing about a resolution to the situation with a clear aim

--the dprk must protect and ensure the rights of its population. thank you very much. i think the representative of argentina for that statement. i now give the floor to the representative from the russian federation. you, mr. president. we were against the initiative of convening today's meeting. lead toder it could negative consequences from the point of view of upholding the effectiveness of the security council and other u.n. system bodies. the council is often criticized that it increasingly spends it time on matters that are out-of-state. issues that respect human rights would not be considered here, but the human rights council, the body, which with the active

participation of members, was and has the necessary authorities and expertise to do just this. finally, it is superfluous to mention that today's situation is unlikely to promote dialogue with the dprk, which the country earlier stated to be ready for. thank you. [laughter] i think you -- i think you for your statement, and i now give the floor to the representative from korea. president, i would like to express appreciation to the presidency for convening today's meeting on the situation in the dprk. we also thank the

secretary-general and the assistant secretary-general for their briefings on the situation in the dprk. it is unfortunate that despite the international community's efforts to address the situation over several years, the situation has continued to worsen, ultimately warranting the council's attention. earlier this year, the commission of inquiry launched a landmark report that assessed the dprk.ion in following the release, we have dealt with the human rights issue in the general assembly. while the general assembly has resolutions one , thistuation in the dprk

.as unique therefore, the council's decision to place the situation on its agenda is a necessary starting point for further discussion and engagement. this is crucial as we understand of human rights violations to be so systematic and widespread that they cause unrest among north koreans, but also a threat to international peace and security. -- whereil's statement human rights violations were committed on a wider scale. likewise, the council needs to pay due attention to the grave situation in the dprk.

in this regard, we would like to stress the coi's conclusion that many of the violations found in the dprk amounted to crimes against humanity. it also recommended that the council play a crucial role in ensuring accountability, including through considering referral of the dprk situation to the international criminal court. in addition, my government takes serious note of the announcement of the u.s. government on december 19 that north korea carried out the cyber act on sony pictures entertainment and posed threats to movie theaters which were also mentioned in the briefing earlier. in this regard, we would like to express deep concern over such acts which seriously undermine the openness and security of cyberspace and escalate international attention.

mr. president, we believe that addressing the north korean human rights issue, not only promoting human rights as a universal value, but also maintaining peace and stability in the korean peninsula and in the region. in this context, the republic of korea hasn't working together with the international -- has been working together with the international community to improve the human rights situation in the dprk and provide assistance to the north korean people. we will redouble these efforts in the coming years. we urge the authorities of the dprk to take steps to improve their human rights situation. as the dprk previously expressed its willingness to do so, we hope that pyongyang will begin engaging with the international community through human rights

dialogues, including with the special reporter on the -- special rep at -- special rapporteur on the situation of the human rights and the dprk and through technical cooperation of the ohr. in closing, the republic of korea hopes that this council will continue to play a vital role in in ensuring the north korean people will eventually be able to enjoy their inalienable human rights and fundamental freedoms. mr. president, speaking at this meeting is probably my last duty in the security council. when we first came to the council two years ago, one of the first issues we tackled was the dprk's missile and nuclear

issues. in the council, my country has dealt with many issues we are not party to with a view to contributing to the work of the council. yet somehow, our term on the council started and is ending with a north korean issue. this must be just a coincidence. but i am saying this with a heavy heart because for south koreans, people in north korea are not just anybody. millions of south koreans still have family members and relatives living in the north even though we never hear from them, even though by now the separation has become a

cold fact of life. we know they are there. just a few hundred kilometers away from where we live. we cannot read what is described in the coi report without it breaking our hearts. we cannot watch video clips from north korea without flinching on every scene. we cannot listen to stories of north korean defectors without sharing in their tears, without feeling as if we are there with them to experience the prejudice. therefore, mr. president, as we leave the council with the the dprk's human rights, we do it wholeheartedly

an ardent wish. a wish for people in north korea. our innocent sisters and brothers on the streets, in the countryside, in the prisoners camp who are suffering for no reason. we only hope that one day in the future when you look back on what you did today, we will be able to say that we did the right thing for the people of north korea, for the lives of every man and woman, boy and girl to have the same human rights as the rest of us. thank you. >> i thank the representative of the republic of korea for his statement. i will now make a statement in my national capacity as representative of chad. i also wish to thank the asg for political affairs and the asg for human rights and their

briefings. the report from the coi on the human rights situations in the dprk, as a great many of us have just said, has brought to the the fore abrought to situation marked by massive violations in the dprk. the report covers systematic, widespread and flagrant human rights violations that have been and are being committed by the dprk. the report concludes in many cases these violations constitute crimes against humanity. the nature of these violations inherent to the political system of the dprk.

hence, the coi urges action from the international community in order to tackle the human rights situation in the dprk. to include having the icc in this matter. we express our serious concern over the gravity of the veracity -- ashe the veracity of the information in the report is established. we must note that the authorities have rejected the report as well as refusing access regarding the -- refusing access. regarding the restrictions, the members of the coi have not had latitude. undertakenes were with a great many north korean citizens outside of north korea. over 400 were interviewed. we call for prudence, in order

to avoid politicization of the human rights matter, especially when we know these of the some massivens where violations violations have been committed. and continue to be committed. the international committee has not even had reasons to explain this very much. there have been errors committed in the past other counsel in taking hasty decisions based on certain reports. the report indicates that the situation of human rights in the dpr k has existed throughout the entire country off history. -- entire history of the country.