Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions HM Embassy in the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea has had with the government of that country on the compatibility of international human rights law with domestic North Korean law.

We take every opportunity to ensure the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) government is aware of our serious concern about the human rights situation in the DPRK, and we do specifically raise the incompatibility of its domestic law with international human rights law. On 9 October, the British Ambassador met the Deputy Director of the International Organisations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Han Tae Sung, and underlined the strength of UK concern on this issue. In July, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Director for Asia Pacific visited Pyongyang and, during meetings with the DPRK government and the Workers’ Party of Korea, called for serious progress to be made in improving the human rights situation in accordance with international law. On 28 August, the British Chargé d’Affaires in Pyongyang, together with other EU heads of mission, met DPRK Foreign Minister, Ri Su Yong, who indicated a willingness to engage in dialogue with the EU on human rights, which is being pursued.