WRITTEN QUESTION E-3839/02 by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council. Evidence of the existence of concentration camps in North Korea.
Date: 2003-01-09
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, North Korea, common foreign and security policy, dictatorship, dissemination of EU information, government violence, human rights, penal institution

18.9.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 222 E/117

The Commission has no regionalised figures on the multiregional programmes and initiatives or on
projects part-financed by the Cohesion Fund which were adopted in 1994-1999.

(2003/C 222 E/136)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3839/02

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Council

(9 January 2003)

Subject: Evidence of the existence of concentration camps in North Korea

The existence of concentration camps (cid:1) forced labour camps (cid:1) in North Korea, about which there was
talk for a long time, but which had never been confirmed by non-North Korean witnesses, has been
proved by satellite images which the Far Eastern Economic Review published after obtaining them from a
commercial satellite imagery provider.

The images were recognised as showing the Haengyong concentration and labour camp by a former
prison guard, Ahn Myong Chol, who defected to South Korea in 1994.

The South Koreans and American intelligence sources had long encouraged the rumour that they had
satellite photographs of the camps in their possession, but the supposed evidence was never published.

Does the Council have the same kind of satellite images or has it been informed by one of the Member
States in possession of similar evidence about the existence of concentration camps in North Korea? Does
the Council have any information about the existence of other concentration camps in North Korea which
could be proven by satellite images? When does the Council expect to forward to the relevant European
Parliament committee the satellite images or any other evidence of the existence of concentration camps in
North Korea and what political initiatives does it intend to take vis-à-vis the Pyongyang government to
induce it to close all the concentration camps immediately and release all the prisoners without delay?

Reply

(13 May 2003)

The Council is not in possession of satellite images referred to in the Honourable Member’s question, nor
of similar evidence on the existence of concentration camps. It is aware of allegations that many persons
are held in so-called ‘re-education camps’.

The Council recalls that the EU underlines the importance it attaches to respect for human rights and the
rule of law regularly in its discussions with North Korea.

The EU Troika visited the DPRK in June 2002, and made clear that
the EU expected concrete
improvements to be made on human rights issues in the DPRK. The Troika stressed that independent
monitors should be given access to establish the veracity of the many negative reports that are circulating
internationally about the situation in the DPRK. Particular areas of concern included prison camps,
religious freedom, torture and the treatment of repatriated refugees. The EU will continue to raise these
issues with the government of North Korea at every suitable opportunity.