Elizabeth Salmon, the new UN human rights expert in North Korea, is making her first official visit to South Korea since taking office last month. In her inaugural statement, Ms. Salmon said the human rights situation in the North has worsened after more than two years of strict measures to curb COVID-19.
“We had already made clear our principled position that we do not recognize or deal with a ‘special rapporteur’ who is just a puppet of the United States,” KCNA said, quoting an unidentified spokesperson from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Pyongyang has repeatedly dismissed accusations of human rights abuses and criticized UN investigations into the matter as a US-backed ploy to interfere in its internal affairs.
The DPRK will never forgive the United States and its vassal forces for the ‘human rights’ racket against the DPRK, which aims to overthrow its social system,” the official said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Another recent UN report also says North Korea’s coronavirus containment measures have exacerbated human rights abuses in the country, citing additional restrictions on access to information, a enhanced border security and increased digital surveillance.
Mr Salmon was due to hold a press conference later in the day on Friday.