UN sets up human rights inquiry on North Korea

The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday launched a formal investigation into North Korea's alleged gross violations of human rights. The Geneva-based body unanimously agreed in a resolution that a three-member commission should look into various violations related to prison camps, executions, torture, freedom of expression and other issues. The resolution that was drafted by Japan and EU countries said that this should be done 'in particular where these crimes may amount to crimes against humanity. 'One of the three commission experts is Marzuki Darusman, the current UN rapporteur on human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). In his recent report, Darusman focussed especially on what he called the 'political prison camps' in the Communist country, where an estimated 200,000 people are being held.