By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea – Amid hearings at the UN Human Rights Council where wstern countries are demanding that North Korea cooperate with UN organizations and other aid agencies to help provide food and essential medical aid to their beleaguered population, there are also concerns that the winter months may intensify Pyongyang’s rights abuses.

Last week’s revaluation of the currency has left the North Korean currency worthless, increasing the threat of collapse of its already fragile food market.

The North Korean government said it would redenominated its currency to curb inflation and announced that limited amounts could be exchanged for new currency.  This has angered North Koreans who are reportedly burning banknotes in protest, and the government has sent soldiers out onto the streets to stop the protests.

In addition, calling malnutrition “a thing of the past,” a North Korean diplomat denied any accusations from UN members on Monday at the Human Rights Council meeting claiming that his people are not hungry nor are they facing imminent starvation.

North Korean soldier standing guard by Yalu River.  Courtesy of Reuters.  

Contrarily however, defectors from North Korea said that the majority of the population is limited to two small meals a day and that situation may worsen in the winter months. 

One rights group, Helping Hands Korea, said they are expecting more defectors this winter than usual because the harvest this year was extremely poor.

Moreover, there are reports saying that North Korean food prices are already soaring and this may push the poorest to the point of no return.

Andrew Natsios who wrote The Great North Korea Famine said this year’s harvest has been the worst since the mid 1990’s, adding, “[A]ll estimates say there will be a doubling of food prices over the next year, including rice, which is North Korea’s staple food.”

One Australian diplomat who spoke at Monday’s Human Rights Council meeting said, “We are concerned by the failure of the [North Korean] government to meet [the people’s] basic needs…[Pyongyang] needs to allow international agencies to do their work.”

North Korean Ambassador Ri Tcheul, in response, rebuffed, “Personally I think some distinguished representatives are just repeating or echoing information fabricated and spread by others as if they have seen or witnessed it themselves.”

Nevertheless, defectors have reported that hunger in North Korea remains rampant.

For more information, please see:

Christian Science Monitor – North Korea: Will winter shortages intensify rights abuses? – 11 December 2009

JoongAng Daily – Countries slam Pyongyang on human rights issue – 9 December 2009

The Star – North Korea rushes to starvation – 9 December 2009