[JURIST] A UN human rights report [text, PDF] published Wednesday calls for action to be taken in order to reunite families who were separated along the Korean Peninsula following the Korean War. The report highlights the different forms of familial separation and seeks to “promote accountability conduct capacity-building activities for relevant stakeholders; and maintain public awareness of the situation through outreach initiatives.” It further analyzes the impact of displacement on social spheres such as the economy as well as social and cultural rights. It highlights forced disappearances and gathers first hand information through interviews. The report concludes with suggestions and recommendations calling on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to help reunite families.

North Korea has faced a wave of sanctions from the US and UN. The Obama administration imposed new sanctions [JURIST report] on North Korea in July, taking the unusual step of placing the country’s leader Kim Jong Un and 10 other officials on a blacklist for human rights abusers. The Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, a South Korean think-tank reported [JURIST report] in April that despite minor progress in certain areas, UN efforts at improving human rights in North Korea have not led to real improvement. North Korea has been an international source of concern due to the country’s human rights record and instability. In March UN human rights investigator Marzuki Darusman urged the UN Human Rights Council to push for the prosecution of top North Korean government officials for crimes against humanity [JURIST report]. In February Darusman asked the UN to provide North Korea with notice [JURIST report] that Kim Jong Un may be investigated for crimes against humanity. The US House of Representatives in January approved legislation that would increase sanctions against North Korea for its continuation of nuclear testing [JURIST report].