Today, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea celebrated the Human Rights Day, together with UN OHCHR, civil society organizations, EU Member States and the Likeminded States under this year’s theme of “Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights”.

Human Rights Day reminds us that human rights are universal, indivisible, inalienable, interdependent and interrelated. These rights cannot be taken for granted and they must be continuously defended. The EU has continued to reinforce global action to defend and reinvigorate human rights around the world, and we will continue to uphold the universality of human rights and exercise vigilance against any attempt to undermine international commitments.

The Republic of Korea has come a long way in the protection of human rights, but discrimination and stigmatization persists, and have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Vulnerable groups have been further marginalized from the society with little protection as the pandemic rages on. More attention should also be given to the issue of gender equality, as well as gender-based violence. This resonates with the need for and importance of enacting a comprehensive anti-discrimination law in the Republic of Korea, and the EU stands ready to share its experience.

On human rights in North Korea, we remain deeply concerned by the human rights situation in the DPRK with ongoing, systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations.

The EU has been at the forefront of bringing the human rights situation in the DPRK into the attention of the international community. The EU took the lead in United National Human Rights fora on initiatives aimed at addressing human rights violations in the DPRK. For the first time, the EU has imposed sanctions on persons and entities including from the DPRK, involved in serious human rights violations and abuses, under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime adopted last year.

The continued discussions on the inter-Korean cooperation are important in contributing to peace on the Korean peninsula, but it must be a comprehensive one, which encompasses a broad range of issues including human rights.

The civil societies have played, and continue to play in the improvement of human rights situation in both Koreas. We welcome and support the tireless efforts of CSOs that have contributed to reducing inequalities and advancing human rights.

Achieving human rights is not only an imperative of human dignity; it is a cornerstone of democracy, peace and security, and sustainable development. To this end, today’s event was a meaningful occasion to reflect on the importance of human rights, and to continue to strengthen our work to ensure and safeguard the freedom, equality and dignity of every human being.