North Korea Accuses U.S. of Politicizing Human Rights

North Korea has accused the United States of politicizing human rights in the country, condemning what it called a political conspiracy and provocation, according to reports from western media on Saturday.

A spokesperson from North Korea’s foreign ministry, as cited by official media KCNA, stated that North Korea would take stern and decisive actions to secure its sovereignty and safety in response to Washington’s use of human rights as a tool for hostile behavior and invasion.

The spokesperson specifically mentioned a visit by Julie Turner, the U.S. ambassador on North Korean human rights issues, to Tokyo and Seoul in February, where she discussed the issue of North Korea. Turner was quoted as a special envoy on human rights in the Biden administration.

The U.S. State Department’s annual report this week highlighted “significant human rights issues” in North Korea, including reports of “arbitrary or unlawful killings, including enforced disappearance; extrajudicial killings; torture or cruel, degrading treatment or inhuman, or punishment by government authorities.”