Obama accuses Kim Jong Un for violating Human Rights
What's the story
Top North Koreans including Kim Jong Un and 10 other government officials were on 6th July, 2016, accused of human rights abuses. This is the first time that the United States government has personally sanctioned Kim Jong Un. According to the administration officials, leader Kim Jong Un was "ultimately responsible for North Korea's notorious abuses of Human Rights."
Strained Ties
North Korea-US relations
The hostile relations shared between North Korea and United States arise out of the US's steadfast opposition to communist rule and principles. According to George Bush, North Korea was "The Axis of evil" because of the threat it's nuclear capabilities posed. A 2014 BBC World Survey Poll found out that as many as 90% Americans have a negative view of North Korea.
Information
State Department Report
A law passed by the Congress in February, 2016, required Barack Obama to hand in a report within 120 days on the human rights situation in North Korea.
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Human Rights Violations
Acting under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam J. Szubin in a statement said, "Under Kim Jong Un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people including extrajudicial killings, forced labour and torture."
Rights Abuses
What North Korea is being sanctioned for
According to the United States, North Korea runs prison camps that house 80,000 to 120,000 North Koreans. The inmates of these prison camps, which are managed by the Ministry of People's Security, face torture, sexual assault, starvation on a routine basis. A senior administration official speaking of Kim Jong Un, said, "He is rather plainly, ultimately responsible for the actions of his regime."
The Penalties
What will the sanctions entail?
According to the Treasury Department, the sanctioned individuals or entities will not be allowed to take part in business transaction with US citizens/enterprises. The sanctions also freeze any property or assets held by them in the US. The US also imposed sanctions on 5 North Korean state entities amongst which are the Ministry of People's Security and the Propaganda and Agitation Department.
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Messages of Warning
A senior official who helped assemble the report, said, "It sends a message to people within the North Korean regime that if you become involved in abuses like running concentration camps, you will end up on a blacklist that leaves you at a significant disadvantage."