The use of defector and survivor testimonies at the public hearings in Seoul, Tokyo, Washington and London is one of the remarkable ways in which the Commission of Inquiry contributes to the body of knowledge on North Korea.
Commission of Inquiry
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Dossier: Commissions of Inquiry
“Now we know”: A Summary of the UN Report on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
by AuthorIn a nearly 400 page-long report, the Commission of Inquiry completely and utterly condemned the North Korean state by accusing it of committing systematic and widespread crimes against humanity against its own citizens. These violations – essential components of the totalitarian system, according to the report – are of such gravity, scale and nature that they “reveal a state that does not have any parallel in the contemporary world.”
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The firm conclusion by the COI that North Korea has been committing crimes against humanity needed further action. There was skepticism on the follow up. What were the chances that the UN Security Council would pick up on conclusions and recommendations and refer the case to be properly investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC)?