U.S. designates N. Korea country of "particular concern" for 22nd straight year for religious freedom violations
美, 북한 22년째 종교자유 특별우려국 지정 中•러•사우디도
The U.S. government has placed North Korea on a list of 12 "countries of particular concern" for religious freedom violations.
This marks the 22nd consecutive year for North Korea to appear on the annually updated list.
Lee Eun-jin reports.
On Thursday, the United States released its annual assessment of religious freedom in countries around the world.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the list of the countries that he said have "engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom", keeping all 12 countries on the blacklist from the year before.
Named as "countries of particular concern" are China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, making it the 22nd consecutive year for North Korea to appear on the annually updated list.
The 12 countries were on an original list of 17 countries recommended by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom for designation as "Countries of Particular Concern" in May 2023.
The commission cited religious freedom in North Korea to be among the worst in the world, as those caught practicing religion or who are even suspected of harboring religious views in private are subject to severe punishment, including arrest, torture, imprisonment, and execution.
Designated on a "Special Watch List" are Algeria, Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, Comoros and Vietnam also for "engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom."
In his statement, Blinken recognized that significant violations of religious freedom are also occurring in countries not designated and that efforts must be made by governments to end abuses and attacks on members of religious minority communities, particularly their places of worship.
Since 1998, when the U.S. Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act,
the U.S. government has annually assessed religious freedom in countries around the world and issued designations of countries of concern.
Lee Eunjin, Arirang News.
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2024-01-05, 12:00 (KST)
