휴먼라이츠워치 “北 위력 성폭력 만연…인권 문제 제기돼야”

Sexual abuse by high ranking officials appears to be widespread in North Korea.
This is according to a recent report by a global human rights organization.
Kim Mok-yeon provides a closer look into the issue.
Sexual violence by high ranking officials appears to be "endemic" in North Korea.
That's according to a report released by the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch on Thursday.
The 86-page report, which contains interviews and testimonies from North Korean women, claimed that unwanted sexual contact and sexual violence are so common under the regime, that they are part of women's daily lives.
"Many North Koreans told Human Rights Watch that when an official or person in power picks a woman, she has no choice but to comply. She has to do whatever he demands, whether it's for sex, money, or other favors."
The Human Rights Watch said the North Korean government should acknowledge the problem of sexual violence, ensure that police, prosecutors, and courts treat sexual violence as a crime, and promptly investigate and prosecute allegations when appropriate.
North Korea strongly rejected the report, calling the allegations "trite" and "fictitious".
The North Korean delegation to the UN in Geneva issued a statement the following day, which said that the report is a futile attempt by some dishonest and hostile forces, who feel uneasy with the ongoing trend towards peace, reconciliation, prosperity and cooperation on the Korean peninsula.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.