The Permanent Representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations made statement at the General Debate of the Third Committee of the 75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on October 7.

The statement is as follows:

Madam Chair,

The current COVID-19 crisis represents an unprecedented challenge gravely threatening the life and safety of the humankind with a record number of infection and loss of lives. As such, it cannot but be the worst human rights situation that awaits an immediate solution.

Without the basic right to life, freedoms and rights of the human being are inconceivable and there cannot be more serious human rights violation than infringement on the right to life.

Unfortunately, however, certain western countries distort and denounce human rights situations of other countries by abusing this sacred UN arena which should be indulged in directing every effort to the protection of the right to life of humanity from the malignant pandemic.

They are the very ones who have deprived many people of their lives with erroneous human rights policy prioritising unrestricted individual freedoms and financial profit over the right to life. Such being the case, they have neither face nor qualifications to talk about others’ human rights situation.

It is none other than the western countries as wasteland of human rights, where policemen with law enforcement duty are engrossed in killing innocent black people and such grave violations as poverty, unemployment, murder and discrimination are committed widely and systematically.

Instead of drawing lessons from the wrongdoings caused by their unjust human rights policy and institutional contradictions to practice prudence and self-control, these countries are scheming to perversely table and railroad yet another stereotyped “resolution” on the human rights situation in the DPRK at the current session of the 3rd Committee of the UNGA.

The “resolution” has no relevance at all with promotion and protection of genuine human rights. Rather, it is a product of political plot and confrontational hysterics of the hostile forces aimed at defaming the DPRK and achieving the illusion of “regime change”.

Western countries overthrew the legitimate governments of developing countries and created such human rights catastrophe as refugee crisis under the pretext of defending human rights. This clearly shows the ill-minded nature and the danger of the ongoing “human rights” rackets orchestrated by them against the DPRK.

As stated on several occasions, the DPRK categorically rejects the “resolution” which is run through with falsehood, fabrication, prejudice and hostility and will strongly respond to it to the end.

Those real offenders who deserve to be seated in the dock for flagrant violations and serious destruction of human rights behave as if they are “human rights judges” to sponsor “resolutions” on DPRK. This is, indeed, a tragedy of the United Nations.

They should first correct their wrong views to be followed by cleaning their human rights dirt out of their own houses before anything else.

On this occasion, we cannot but take serious issue with the act of national discrimination of Japan which grows ever more unscrupulous as days pass by.

Instead of acknowledging, apologizing and compensating for the extra large-scale crime against humanity such as 8.4 million forcible drafting and abduction, 1 million genocidal killings and 200, 000 sexual slavery for the Japanese army committed against the Korean people in the past, Japan excluded schools of the Korean residents from the beneficiary list for disease protection aid and further instigated right-wing gangsters to conduct all kinds of evil acts in front of the Korean University, thus gravely threatening the right to life and safety of the Korean residents in Japan.

Japanese authorities must honestly recognize, reflect on and settle their criminal past and put an immediate end to their despicable national discriminatory acts against the Korean residents in Japan so as to get rid of the disgrace of war criminal state with A-class human rights violations.

Madam Chair,

Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, with his far-sighted wisdom and energetic activities, leads at the forefront the struggle to firmly guarantee the life and safety and the interests of our people against the malignant pandemic and natural disasters.

Thanks to his painstaking efforts and dedication for the people, the DPRK is now maintaining a stable anti-epidemic trend and the damage rehabilitation projects are now vigorously pushed forward to relieve the people of the inconveniences and sufferings caused by devastating typhoon, heavy rain and flood.

Up-to-date general hospital for promotion of the people’s health is built in the capital city of Pyongyang, in spite of the manifold trials and challenges, and thousands of dwelling houses along with provision of daily necessities, medicines and food are distributed free of charge to the people of the disaster-affected areas.

This is just a glimpse of the reality in respect of the promotion and protection of genuine human rights in the DPRK.

The DPRK government, whose utmost priority principle and absolute standard in policy-making is to ensure the people’s rights and interests, is now making every effort to fulfil its mission and responsibility for promotion and protection of human rights by encouraging legal benefits and economic investments aimed at the enjoyment of human rights by all people including women and children, disabled persons and the elderly.

All human rights of our people including the rights to existence and development are firmly guaranteed by the Socialist Constitution and other sectoral laws in the areas of election, labour, education and public health and fully exercised and enjoyed in practice, and the socialist policies like the universal 12-year compulsory education system and free medical care system are implemented invariably.

The DPRK will continue to firmly guarantee happy life and genuine human rights of the people by staunchly safeguarding our superior policy and system for promotion and protection of human rights and achieving the prosperity of the country by dint of single-hearted unity of all the people firmly united around the great leader, regardless of all hardships and who says what.

Thank you, Madam Chair.