Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has requested the EU to implement targeted sanctions against people and organisations named in the UN Commission of Inquiry report on North Korea as being responsible for human rights violations in North Korea; and if he will discuss with his ministerial colleagues implementing sanctions in the event that the EU does not do so.

We meet regularly with other EU member states to discuss how we can collectively press for substantial change in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In June, I personally met representatives from the EU, France, United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea to discuss ways in which accountability toward the DPRK can be improved. An EU imposed targeted sanctions regime against individuals and organisations named in the UN Commission of Inquiry report has not been requested as it is not clear this will lead to improvements in the human rights situation. However, the UK will continue to work closely with the EU and other partners to ensure focus is maintained on improving the human rights situation in the DPRK. We intend to work for a strong, well supported resolution in the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee.