State Department Calls North Korean Regime ‘Abusive’

Only days after President Donald Trump called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “honorable” the State Department issued a rebuke of the regime, saying it was “one of the most repressive and abusive governments in the world.”

The State Department blamed North Korea for human rights violations, which its people have suffered for decades at the hands of their own government. President Trump, on the other hand, dialed down his attacks on Kim, whom he had called “Little Rocket Man” only months before.

“For more than 60 years the people of North Korea have faced egregious human rights violations in virtually every aspect of life,” the statement from State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

“In addition to the roughly 100,000 individuals, including children and family members of the accused, who suffer in political prison camps, North Koreans face an almost complete denial of fundamental freedoms by their government. Those trying to flee this oppressive environment, if caught, are often tortured or killed,” she added.

Last week, Trump, who is to meet with the North Korean leader sometime this month, said Kim’s intentions were “very open and I think very honorable based on what we are seeing,” suggesting that he may be poised to accomplish what other administrations have not – convince Pyongyang to denuclearize.

“We’ve never been in a position like this with that regime, whether it’s father, grandfather or son,” Trump said last month.

However, human rights abuses in North Korea have been a hot topic for years. For that reason, the State Department decided on Wednesday to recognize North Korean Freedom Week by directly calling out the North Korean regime’s brutal treatment of its people.

“We remain gravely concerned and deeply troubled by these abuses. In tandem with the maximum pressure campaign, we will continue to press for accountability for those responsible,” the statement said.

The State Department, however, didn’t say how the U.S. was planning to address this issue with the regime’s leader and “press for accountability.” Nauert only pointed out that they would help open up the isolated country to the rest of the world.

“We are also going to continue our efforts to increase the flow of independent information into, out of, and within this isolated state to present everyday North Koreans with a more realistic picture of the outside world,” she noted.