Speech #1090125506

In pursuit of absolute control of all facets of politics and society. the government under dictator Kim Jong 11 has created an environment of fear in which dissent of any kind is not tolerated. Freedom of thought. conscience. and religion or belief remains essentially nonexistent. as the government severely represses public and private religious activities and has a policy of actively discriminating against religious believers. There are a growing number of reports from North Korea refugees that any unauthorized religious activity inside North Korea is met with arrest. imprisonment. torture. and sometimes execution by North Korean officials." Furthermore. the U.S. Department of States 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices sums up North Koreas actions by listing documented or alleged human rights abuses over the years. Such instances include: abridgement of the right to change the government. extrajudicial killings. disappearances. and arbitrary detention. including many political prisoners. harsh and lifethreatening prison conditions: torture. forced abortions and infanticide in prisons. lack of an independent judiciary and fair trials. denial of freedom of speech. press. assembly. and association. government attempts to control all information. denial of freedom of religion. freedom of movement. and worker rights. and severe punishment of some repatriated refugees. I also want to note President Bushs appointment last August of Ambassador Jay Lefkowitz to the position of Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea. The Special Envoy post was established under the North Korea Human Rights Act. and with this appointment. signaled the administrations intensified attention to human rights in North Korea.