North Korean Children Face Death Penalty for Distributing K-dramas; South Korean Ambassador Raises Alarm Children's Rights Violations

In a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, South Korean Ambassador to the UN, Hwang Joon-kook, highlighted the grave human rights abuses faced by children in North Korea. Hwang stated that children in North Korea are subjected to severe violations, including the death penalty for distributing South Korean dramas.

Despite being a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, North Korea reportedly engages in practices such as collective punishment, child labour, and sending children to political prisons alongside their families.

Hwang also pointed out that North Korean children are facing a humanitarian crisis due to the country's focus on nuclear and ballistic missile programs rather than the welfare of its citizens. He cited a report indicating that 17% of North Korean children suffer from stunted growth due to malnourishment.

Furthermore, Hwang emphasized the importance of providing special respect and protection to children affected by armed conflict, referencing recent events in the Gaza Strip where aid workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike. He called on the Security Council to uphold its zero-tolerance policy against the denial of humanitarian access to children.