US reaffirms support for N. Koreans against 'egregious' human rights abuses

WASHINGTON -- The United States reaffirmed its support for North Korean human rights Wednesday, vowing to hold Pyongyang accountable for "egregious" human rights violations.

"On this occasion of North Korea Freedom Week, we stand with the millions of North Koreans who continue to have their dignity and human rights violated by one of the most repressive and totalitarian states in the world," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a released statement.

The spokesman added more than 100,000 North Koreans were suffering "unspeakable abuses" at the North's political prison camps.

"The United States will continue to raise awareness of North Korea's egregious human rights situation, investigate abuses and violations, support access to independent information for the North Korean people, and work with the United Nations and like-minded allies to promote accountability for the Kim regime," the statement said.

The North Korea Freedom Week is organized by nongovernmental organizations in South Korea and other countries, and is held in the last week of April. The annual event has been held since 2003.

Price praised those who have fled North Korea and those working to promote North Korean human rights.

"We also honor the courage of the North Korean defector and human rights community and will always support their efforts to shine a spotlight on these grave injustices," he said.

The department spokesman argued the North was tightening its border control under the pretext of fending off the COVID-19 pandemic, but in reality to prevent more people from defecting the country.

"We are appalled by the increasingly draconian measures the regime has taken, including shoot-to-kill orders at the North Korea-China border, to tighten control of its people under the guise of fighting COVID-19," he said. "The civilized world has no place for such brutality, and the international community must continue to speak out." (Yonhap)