By Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US, South Korea, and Japan on Friday urged the international community to take action on North Korea’s human rights issues, shifting from monitoring abuses to promoting accountability.
"Today, as the human rights situation in North Korea continues to deteriorate, the Governments of the United States, the ROK, and Japan urge the international community to shift its approach on North Korean human rights issues toward action – from monitoring violations and abuses to promoting accountability," the countries said in a joint statement following a trilateral meeting in the scope of the "Spirit of Camp David".
Such trilateral meetings were agreed last August during the Camp David summit of US President Joe Biden, his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The statement said the US, South Korea, and Japan reaffirm their commitment to promoting human rights and the welfare of people in North Korea.
"In doing so, we intend to increase our joint efforts to increase access to independent information in North Korea; promote accountability for those responsible for human rights abuses in North Korea; support and amplify the voices of North Korean escapees and refugees to increase global awareness of violations in North Korea; and urge the immediate resolution of the issues of abductees, detainees, and others unjustly detained, and unrepatriated prisoners of war as well as the issue of separated families," said the statement.