HRNK Canada calls upon the Canadian government to take a leading role in actions against the North Korean regime's crimes against humanity

Toronto, Canada – In light of the recent UN report indicating that "crimes against humanity have been committed in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, pursuant to policies at the highest level of State," the Council for Human Rights in North Korea("HRNK Canada") is calling upon the Canadian government to take a leading role in holding the North Korean regime accountable for its atrocities.

Specifically, HRNK Canada is calling upon the government of Canada to move the UN General Assembly to establish an “ad hoc tribunal” to ensure that “those most responsible for the crimes against humanity … are held accountable,” as recommended in the report, released February 7 by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The UN report also recommended that the UN Security Council refer the matter to the International Criminal Court for prosecution. "Certainly Canada should support such efforts. But since, unfortunately, China is likely to veto any such move at the Security Council, we are urging the Canadian government to focus its energies primarily on the UN General Assembly, where there is every probability of success," said Kyung B. Lee, President of HRNK Canada.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has stated, “We fully endorse the Commission’s call for accountability.” HRNK Canada welcomes Minister Baird’s remarks, but urges the Minister to not only endorse, but also lead this quest for justice.

To the same end, HRNK Canada is also calling upon members of all parties in Parliament to work together to draft and pass legislation similar to the North Korean Human Rights Act in the U.S. Passage of such legislation here would ensure that the Canadian government has a clear mandate to take appropriate actions to bring an end to the sufferings of the people of North Korea from the regime's crimes against humanity, which the UN report has likened to those of the worst totalitarian regimes of the 20th century.

                                                                             
For further information,
contact Kyung B. Lee,
President of HRNK Canada
Kbl928@yahoo.com
(416)244-3251, (416)554-9605
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HRNK Canada has a long history of campaigning against the North Korean regime's crimes against humanity, including a 4-month-long one-man rally in front of the UN building in 2007; a resolution on the dismantlement of North Korea's "hidden gulags" in 2009; an international petition-signing campaign for submission to the ICC in 2009-2010; testimonies at a parliamentary hearing and petition for parliamentary motions in 2011; participation in establishing the International Coalition to Stop the Crimes against Humanity in North Korea("ICNK") in 2011; and petition letters urging the government to support the establishment of the UN Commission of Inquiry in 2012-2013.

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