South Korea: North has executed more than 90 officials so far News
South Korea: North has executed more than 90 officials so far

Officials from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service [official website] said on Thursday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un [BBC profile] has unleashed a “reign of terror” in North Korea by executing more than 90 officials since taking power in 2011. This number of executions [Korea Herald report] has far surpassed the amount of executions by his late father, Kim Jong II, who executed about 10 officials during his first few years of power. Details about how this information was obtained by South Korean officials is still unknown. In April, Kim Jong-un ordered the execution [JURIST report] of fifteen state officials. Those officials were allegedly executed by firing squad [BBC report] for spying. North Korea has not confirmed these executions, but Kim has been known to “purge” his opponents before.

In 2013 Kim Jong-un put his uncle, Chang Song-thaek [BBC profile], to death along with several officials close to him. In November UN Special Rapporteur on the situation in the People’s Republic of Korea Marzuki Darusman said that there is enough evidence to hold North Korean leader Kim responsible for “massive” human rights atrocities [JURIST report] committed in the country. Also in November the UN General Assembly urged [JURIST report] the Security Council to call on the International Criminal Court [official website] to investigate the crimes. The UN Human Rights Council [official website] adopted a resolution [JURIST report] last March urging the UN Security Council to take action against those responsible for documented crimes against humanity in North Korea. Last February then-UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stated that there can no longer be any excuses for inaction [JURIST report] in North Korea following the release of a UN report.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

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On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

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