NORTH KOREA TIER 1 | USCIRF-RECOMMENDED COUNTRIES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN (CPC) KEY FINDINGS The North Korean government continues to rank as one they are treated with extraordinary cruelty. Based on the of the world’s most repressive regimes, in part because of North Korean government’s longstanding and continuing its deplorable human rights record. Freedom of religion or record of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of belief does not exist and is, in fact, profoundly suppressed. freedom of religion or belief, USCIRF again finds that North The regime considers religion to pose the utmost threat— Korea, also known as the Democratic People’s Republic both to its own survival and that of the country. The North of Korea (DPRK), merits designation in 2017 as a “coun- Korean government relentlessly persecutes and punishes try of particular concern,” or CPC, under the International religious believers through arrest, torture, imprisonment, Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). The State Department has and sometimes execution. Once imprisoned, religious designated North Korea as a CPC since 2001, most recently believers typically are sent to political prison camps where in October 2016. RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT • Continue to designate North Korea as a regularization of such analysis similar to such as mobile phones, thumb drives, CPC under IRFA; and in coordination with the Universal and DVDs, and improved Internet • Continue to impose targeted sanctions Periodic Review process; access so North Koreans have greater on specific North Korean officials and • Include, whenever possible, both access to independent sources of infor- government agencies, or individuals the Special Envoy for North Korean mation; and or companies working directly with Human Rights Issues and the Ambassa- • Encourage Chinese support for them, for human rights violations—par- dor-at-Large for International Religious addressing the most egregious ticularly violations of the freedom of Freedom in formal and informal dis- human rights violations in North religion or belief—or for benefitting cussions about or with North Korea in Korea, including violations of religious from these abuses, as part of sanc- order to incorporate human rights and freedom, and regularly raise with the tions imposed via one or more of the religious freedom into the dialogue, government of China the need to following: an executive order, the North and likewise incorporate human rights uphold its international obligations to Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhance- and religious freedom concerns into protect North Korean asylum-seekers ment Act of 2016, the “specially discussions with multilateral partners in China, including by allowing the UN designated nationals” list maintained regarding denuclearization and secu- High Commissioner for Refugees and by the Treasury Department’s Office rity, as appropriate; international humanitarian organiza- of Foreign Assets Control, visa denials • Coordinate efforts with regional allies, tions to assist them, and by ending under section 604(a) of IRFA and particularly Japan and South Korea, repatriations, which are in violation the Global Magnitsky Human Rights to raise human rights and humanitar- of the 1951 Refugee Convention and Accountability Act, asset freezes under ian concerns and specific concerns Protocol and/or the UN Convention the Global Magnitsky Act, other con- regarding freedom of religion or belief, Against Torture. gressional action, or action at the UN; and press for improvements, including • Call for a follow-up UN inquiry to track the release of prisoners of conscience The U.S. Congress should: the findings of the 2014 report by the and closure of the infamous political • Reauthorize the North Korean Human UN Commission of Inquiry on Human prisoner camps; Rights Act beyond 2017, incorporate Rights in the Democratic People’s • Explore innovative ways to expand updated language and/or recommen- Republic of Korea (COI) and assess any existing radio programming transmit- dations from the 2014 COI report, new developments—particularly with ted into North Korea and along the particularly regarding freedom of respect to violations of the freedom border, as well as the dissemination of religion or belief, and authorize funds of religion or belief, and suggest a other forms of information technology, for the act’s implementation. U.S. COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM | ANNUAL REPORT 2017 www.USCIRF.gov | [email protected] | @USCIRF TIER 1 TIER NORTH KOREA BACKGROUND In May 2016, the regime held the Workers’ Party of Korea’s Although other Communist countries restrict freedom of Seventh Congress, the first such gathering in nearly four religion or belief—even if they pretend to protect it con- decades. Formally, the party holds a congress to self-or- stitutionally—the North Korean regime stands apart for ganize, set an agenda, and determine leadership roles. its state-generated ideology known as Juche. Through this Analysts believe the rare meeting also served as a vehicle dogmatic stranglehold over society, the regime engenders for Kim Jong-un to consolidate his power. cult-like devotion to and deification of current leader Kim During 2016, North Korea experienced a series of Jong-un, just as it did for Kim’s father and grandfather highly publicized defections, including a high-profile before him. This forced loyalty leaves no room for the diplomat and a rare group defection. In April 2016, expression or practice of individualized thought, nor for 13 North Koreans working at a restaurant in Ningbo, freedom of religion or belief, which in practice does not China, defected. In August 2016, North Korea’s former exist. Those who follow a religion or other form of belief deputy ambassador in London, Thae Yong-ho, defected, do so at great risk and typically in secret, at times even eventually arriving with his family in Seoul, South keeping their faith hidden from their own families. The Korea, where he remains under government protection. most recent estimate puts North Korea’s total population In October 2016, news reports suggested that as many at more than 25 million. as three Beijing-based Given the country’s embassy officials or other North Korean govern- extremely closed nature, [UN Resolution 31/18] condemns ment employees defected. figures for religious longstanding violations, including During the year, the followers are outdated the denial of freedom of thought, UN Human Rights Coun- and difficult to confirm. conscience, and religion. The United Nations (UN) cil named Tomás Ojea estimates that less than Quintana of Argentina as 2 percent of North Kore- the new Special Rappor- ans are Christian, or somewhere between 200,000 and teur on the situation of human rights in North Korea 400,000 people. The country also has strong historical and continued to underscore that country’s deplorable traditions of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shamanism, human rights record. In March 2016, the UN Human as well as a local religious movement known as Chondo- Rights Council adopted Resolution 31/18 examining the ism (also spelled Cheondoism). human rights situation in North Korea. The resolution Through increasingly aggressive rhetoric and actions condemns longstanding violations, including the denial aimed at provoking the international community, partic- of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and ularly the United States, the North Korean government instructs the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights continues to look inward to bolster its legitimacy, such as to assign a two-person expert group to work on issues of through the expansion of its nuclear weapons program. accountability for human rights abuses with the Special U.S. COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM | ANNUAL REPORT 2017 www.USCIRF.gov | [email protected] | @USCIRF TIER 1 TIER NORTH KOREA Rapporteur. In the group’s February 2017 report, the Protestant churches, one Catholic church, and the Holy experts recommended a “multi-pronged and comprehen- Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, all state run. sive” approach to “pursuing accountability for human In December 2016, Canadian diplomats traveled rights violations in [North Korea],” specifically with to North Korea to visit Pastor Hyeon Soo Lim, a South respect to violations that may constitute crimes against Korean-born Canadian citizen sentenced in December humanity. In November 2016, the UN Security Council 2015 to life in prison with hard labor for alleged subver- unanimously adopted a resolution sanctioning North sive activities and insulting North Korea’s leadership. Korea for its fifth nuclear test in September. In December In November 2016, news reports indicated Sweden’s 2016, however, several of Pyongyang’s allies, including ambassador to North Korea met with the North Korean China, attempted and failed to block a debate on North Foreign Ministry on behalf of Reverend Lim, but there Korea’s human rights abuses when the Security Council was no change in his status. Sweden serves as protecting met for its third annual discussion on the subject. power for Canada, Australia, and the United States— which do not have diplomatic relations with North RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CONDITIONS Korea—providing limited consular services to these 2016–2017 countries’ citizens. Government Control and Repression During the year, several reports surfaced about of Christianity the death of Korean-Chinese Pastor Han Chung-ryeol, All religious groups are prohibited from conducting who led Changbai Church, located in China’s