Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what outcomes they have measured following the implementation of United Kingdom-funded cultural engagement projects in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British Council projects in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) support the Government’s objectives with regard to the DPRK, including human rights, exposure to the outside world and support to vulnerable groups. As elsewhere in the world, it can be difficult to measure the immediate impact of cultural engagement, which is intended to encourage better understanding in order to support engagement on more sensitive issues. We believe that by exposing North Koreans to British culture and values, we can open up the debate within DPRK society about issues such as human rights and democratic development.