By Yi Whan-woo
The U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will go over North Korea's human rights situation starting May 6, according to diplomatic sources, Wednesday.
The examination will take place as part of the 33rd session of the working group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). It will take place from May 6 to 17 at the council's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The UPR is held every five years. All U.N. member countries are subject to review and are given an opportunity to address their human rights situation and how they can develop it.
The council conducted previous reviews on North Korea in 2009 and 2014.
The 2019 review will be based partly on inquiries submitted online by other U.N. members, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Sweden, on the North's human rights record.
Before finalizing its review, the council will also consider a self-evaluation report submitted by North Korea as well as opinions of other relevant U.N. bodies and independent human rights organizations.
The sources said the inquiries submitted so far on North Korea focus on torture and mistreatment of women and children, on top of other human rights violations.
South Korea has not submitted inquiries, they added.
The U.S referred to international reports that torture and other forms of cruel, inhumane and humiliating treatment have been witnessed at political prison camps, although such acts are banned by the North's criminal law.
The U.S. asks whether the North's regime is willing to accept the U.N. Convention against Torture to ensure the country's criminal law can be put into practice.
The U.S. additionally asks for stats, including the number of people detained or who died in North Korean prisons, whether their family members are informed about where they are and whether the North is willing to join the International Labor Organization (ILO) and receive support on issues of forced labor and child labor.
The U.K. asks what measures the North has taken to ensure religious freedom and right to education as stipulated in its Constitution, how the country can end exploitation of child laborers and how it can reform its military and punishment system to protect women from sexual violence and abuse.
Canada asks the North to address its efforts to implement and ensure freedom of assembly and association, after accepting Canada's call to do so during the 2014 review.
Sweden asks for any improvements on torture, forced labor and suspension of meals for prisoners, in line with its call in 2014.
The North has reacted with hostility about the international community's criticism of its dire human rights record.
