The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights briefing on COVID-19 outbreak in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)
State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that, as of 16 May, 56 people, including at least six children, had died of COVID-19 and that 663,910 people were undergoing medical treatment due to fever.
“We are deeply concerned about the likely human rights impact of the first officially reported outbreak of COVID-19 in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the authorities,” said Liz Throssell, Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
“In the absence of any vaccination rollout, the pandemic's reported spread may have a devastating impact on the human rights situation in the country. The DPRK has a very limited healthcare infrastructure to cope with such a crisis, as it lacks testing capacity, essential medicines, and equipment,” Throssell added.
The DPRK closed its borders in January 2020 as the pandemic first began spreading worldwide. Limited internal freedom of movement resulted in restricted access to food, medicines, and healthcare. The repression of civil and political rights increased during this period, in particular as a result of a policy authorizing use of lethal force against people attempting to leave or enter the country, and severe penalties for accessing independent health-related information from outside the DPRK.
“The latest restrictions, which include putting people under stricter isolation and imposing further travel restrictions, will have dire consequences for those already struggling to meet their basic needs - including getting enough food to eat. Children, lactating mothers, older people, the homeless and those living in more isolated rural and border areas are especially vulnerable. Those in detention are also particularly exposed to the risk of infection due to the high concentrations of people in the confined spaces and limited access to hygiene and healthcare. Malnutrition was already widespread in places of detention before the onset of COVID-19,” Throssell said.
“We urge the DPRK authorities to ensure that all measures adopted to tackle the pandemic are necessary, proportionate, non-discriminatory, time-bound, and strictly in line with international human rights law,” she added.
“Responding adequately to COVID-19 calls for solidarity and cooperation between Governments and the wider international community. We encourage the DPRK, as a matter of urgency, to discuss with the United Nations the opening of channels for humanitarian support, including medicines, vaccines, equipment, and other life-saving support. We also urge the authorities to facilitate the return of UN and other international staff to the DPRK to assist in the provision of support, including to vulnerable populations and those living in rural and border areas,” Throssell concluded.
Ends
For more information and media requests, please contact for more information and media requests, please contact: Ravina Shamdasani + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org or
Liz Throssell + 41 22 917 9296 / elizabeth.throssell@un.org or Lori Brumat + 41 22 928 9149 / lori.brumat@un.org
Tag and share - Twitter: @UNHumanRights and Facebook: unitednationshumanrights
- Exterior shot: Alley of Flags, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We are deeply concerned about the likely human rights impact of the first officially reported outbreak of COVID-19 in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and the subsequent lockdown imposed by the authorities.”
- Cut away: briefing room podium and camera
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “In the absence of any vaccination rollout, the pandemic's reported spread may have a devastating impact on the human rights situation in the country. The DPRK has a very limited healthcare infrastructure to cope with such a crisis, as it lacks testing capacity, essential medicines, and equipment.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The latest restrictions, which include putting people under stricter isolation and imposing further travel restrictions, will have dire consequences for those already struggling to meet their basic needs - including getting enough food to eat. Children, lactating mothers, older people, the homeless and those living in more isolated rural and border areas are especially vulnerable. Those in detention are also particularly exposed to the risk of infection due to the high concentrations of people in the confined spaces and limited access to hygiene and healthcare. Malnutrition was already widespread in places of detention before the onset of COVID-19.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “We urge the DPRK authorities to ensure that all measures adopted to tackle the pandemic are necessary, proportionate, non-discriminatory, time-bound, and strictly in line with international human rights law.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)— Liz Throssell, spokesperson for UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Responding adequately to COVID-19 calls for solidarity and cooperation between Governments and the wider international community. We encourage the DPRK, as a matter of urgency, to discuss with the United Nations the opening of channels for humanitarian support, including medicines, vaccines, equipment, and other life-saving support. We also urge the authorities to facilitate the return of UN and other international staff to the DPRK to assist in the provision of support, including to vulnerable populations and those living in rural and border areas.”
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the United Nations bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made the following comments on the recent violence in Kenya.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITC
US tariffs uncertainty hurts world economy, with poorest countries hit hardest – top UN economist
A new US decision to further delay the end of a 90-day pause on tariffs is bad for business, a top UN economist said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Gaza aid site horror continues as more starving people shot trying to get food
Amid intensifying hopes for a new Gaza ceasefire, UN humanitarians confirmed disturbing details on Friday of continued killings and injuries of Palestinians desperately seeking food at aid sites.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
A clearer picture of needs across Iran is beginning to emerge after the conflict this month with Israel, which left hundreds dead, several hospitals hit and a spike in Afghan refugees returning home, the UN’s top official in Tehran said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
The blistering early-summer heatwave that’s brought life-threatening temperatures across much of the northern hemisphere is a worrying sign of things to come, UN weather experts said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk made the following remarks to the Human Rights Council annual panel on adverse impacts of climate change.
1
1
2
Edited News | WHO
The first meagre midweek delivery of urgently needed medical goods to enter Gaza in months will provide scant relief to the enclave’s people, who continue to be shot and killed as they search for food, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
2
1
2
Statements , Edited News | HRC
Enhanced interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s report on Myanmar presented by Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and oral update by Thomas Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar
1
1
1
Edited News | UNOG
The conflict-impacted people of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) urgently need much more international assistance than they are getting today, the UN’s top aid official said on Thursday.
1
1
2
Edited News | UNOG
Violence in Myanmar is spiralling as the military junta increases its attacks on monasteries, schools and camps sheltering people uprooted by the civil war, a top independent human rights investigator warned on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on Palestinians killed seeking food in Gaza
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
Iran-Israel war: UN rights office concerned over strike on Tehran prison, reported espionage arrests
Tehran’s notorious Evin prison known for holding dissidents should not be a target, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday, a day after a reported Israeli strike on the complex.