I welcome today’s meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which examined the appalling human rights conditions in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), as well as the threat the situation posed to international peace and security.

One year ago this month, the Council convened for the first time in history to discuss the human rights situation in the DPRK. We believe it is critical to shine a light on the human rights violations in the DPRK and we will continue to do so.

We join our fellow members of the Security Council in expressing our deep concern over the DPRK’s deplorable human rights violations such as those involving extrajudicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrest, rape and other forms of sexual violence, forced labor, forced abortions, torture, and the detention of an estimated 80,000-120,000 political prisoners in a network of political prison camps.

We also call on the DPRK to comply with its international obligations and commitments, including those reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.