North Korea—Human Rights
The state of North Korea is likely the worst abuser of human rights in the world today. Like that of his father before him, the regime of Kim Jong Il is a dictatorship that employs widespread fear and repression to control its people.
North Korea is also arguably the world's most restricted and isolated country, and thus it is extremely difficult for the international community to assess its current human-rights situation. The government has allowed a handful of aid workers, religious groups, and some journalists to visit in recent years, but what they are permitted to see is restricted. Although in many cases confirmation is not possible, a wide spectrum of grave human-rights abuses in North Korea has been reported by defectors, refugees, intelligence communities, humanitarian-aid workers, and international nongovernmental organizations.
Abuse of Civil and Political Rights
The North Korean constitution protects many human rights, but this means little in practice. North Koreans are denied freedom of speech, the media, religion, movement, assembly, petition, emigration, and association. They do not have the right to peacefully change their government. Foreign travel is prohibited for nearly all. Workers' rights are not observed, and only government-controlled unions are allowed.
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