Freedom House “North Korea’s political rights score 0 “The worst country to oppress freedom”

North Korea, which is committing serious human rights abuses, has once again been designated as one of the countries with the most severe suppression of freedom in the world . Reporter Kim So-young reports.    

 

In the ' Freedom in the World 2024' released on the 29th by Freedom House, an international human rights organization based in  Washington  DC , USA, North Korea ranked last, receiving 3 out of 100 points , just like last year  .   

In the ' political right' category , which evaluates the electoral system, pluralism, political participation , and government functions and converts it into a score out of 40 , North Korea scored 0 points , like last year .    

In addition, in the ' civil freedom ' category, which evaluates freedom of expression and belief, freedom of association , legal system , and personal autonomy and rights out of  60 , it only received 3 points , like last year .   

The report pointed out that North Korea is a one-party state led by a totalitarian dictatorship that continues to commit serious human rights abuses . 

It also said that surveillance is widespread, arbitrary arrests and detentions are common, punishment for political crimes is severe, and a political prison camp system is maintained where torture , forced labor , starvation, and other atrocities are committed .   

Regarding the peculiarities related to human rights abuses in North Korea last year, the report states that the North Korean regime began to gradually open its borders over the past year after being isolated due to the coronavirus, and in August approved the return of its citizens from abroad and, in particular, expanded trade and trade with China and Russia. He explained that diplomatic relations had been resumed .

He also added that North Korea revised its constitution in September   to ' accelerate nuclear weapons modernization ' and  ' strengthen national defense capabilities ' .

North Korea tied with Aretrea, known as the  ' North Korea of ​​Africa , ' and ranked as the country with the third most severe suppression of freedom among the 195 countries  evaluated by the organization . 

Tibet was ranked as the country with the most severe suppression of freedom with a score of  0 , while Syria and South Sudan  ranked second with a score of  1 .  

Meanwhile, the United States and Korea scored 83 out of   100 , while China  scored 9 and Russia  scored 13 , all of which were considered not free countries .  

Since its establishment in  1973 , Freedom House has investigated the current state of world politics and civil liberties every year and published a report that converted the results into numbers .