Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 24853 on North Korea: Christianity, what assessment she has made of the steps taken by Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in response to her Department's engagement on human rights issues, including on freedom of religion and belief.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains deeply concerned by the ongoing reports of severe persecution in North Korea for those adopting or practicing religion. We welcomed North Korea's participation in the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review's fourth cycle (in November 2024) and continue to urge North Korea to take concrete actions to fulfil its commitment to implement the accepted recommendations. We will continue to raise human rights issues with North Korean officials bilaterally and in multilateral fora, including to allow independent civil society organisations immediate and unhindered access to the country.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of North Korean military personnel who have become casualties during the conflict in Ukraine.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
It is highly likely that DPRK forces sustained more than 6,000 casualties in offensive combat operations against Ukrainian forces in the Russian oblast of Kursk, amounting to more than half of the approximately 11,000 DPRK troops initially deployed to the Kursk region. Russia has since publicly announced a further 6,000 deminers and reconstruction workers to be deployed to the Kursk region of Russia.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of Russia sending Ukrainian children to camps in North Korea; and if she will have discussions with her NATO counterparts on demanding the return of those children back to Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
These reports are highly alarming and would represent a further concerning aspect of the deepening relationship between Russia and North Korea. As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 15 October, the kidnapping and forcible deportation of almost 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia is one of the most disturbing aspects of this war, and we will continue to do all we can to support the return of those children, as well as monitoring the latest reports on their whereabouts and treatment.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the treatment of Christians in North Korea; and what steps the Government is taking to raise freedom of religion or belief with international partners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains deeply concerned by unacceptable reports of ongoing, widespread, and systematic human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Defending the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and a key strand of our DPRK human rights strategy. The UK regularly raises concerns about the DPRK's human rights violations, including the lack of freedom of religion or belief, both with the DPRK embassy in London and in multilateral fora. On 20 November 2025, the UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly's Third Committee resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her South Korean counterpart on issues relating to the prospects for unification on the Korean peninsula.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage dialogue between North and South Korea.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role of China in influencing stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Diplomacy and negotiations are the best way to secure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The Republic of Korea is a valued partner with whom we routinely discuss these important issues.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department has made to his counterpart in Ukraine on the capture of North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces and their reported desire to defect to South Korea.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly condemns North Korea's military support for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, and we remain deeply concerned about the deepening strategic relationship between Russia and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which has significant implications for Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security.
Decisions regarding the status and future of prisoners of war captured in Ukraine are for the Ukrainian authorities to determine, in consultation with relevant partners and in accordance with applicable legal and humanitarian frameworks.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Inter-Mediate has received funding from the Government for work on (a) China and (b) North Korea.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was provided on 25 September to Question 70454.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the report by the UN Human Rights Office entitled Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea - Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, published on 12 September 2025; and what diplomatic steps she is taking with her international partners help protect (a) human rights defenders and (b) religious leaders in the country.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the September 2025 report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights made clear, there has been no improvement in the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) since 2014. In response to this report, the UK issued a statement at the UN Human Rights Council. We called on the DPRK to engage meaningfully with the international community, to take credible steps to improve its human rights record and to grant all UN human rights mechanisms access into the country. We have also raised our concerns with the DPRK's Embassy in London. We regularly discuss with key international partners how to address the DPRK's human rights record, including on freedom of religion or belief.