US Designates North Korea as a 'Country of Particular Concern for Religious Freedom' for 22 Consecutive Years

Including 12 Countries Such as China, Russia, and Iran
Special Concern Groups Including Al-Qaeda and IS

The U.S. government has designated North Korea as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations for the 22nd consecutive year. China, Russia, and Iran are also included.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to the State Department, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on the 4th (local time) in a statement that 12 countries, including North Korea, have been designated as Countries of Particular Concern for religious freedom. The countries are the same as in 2022: North Korea, China, Russia, Myanmar, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

Secretary Blinken explained that these 12 countries were designated because they "have engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom." The U.S. Secretary of State annually designates countries as CPCs or Special Watch List countries under the International Religious Freedom Act enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1998. Although the announcement is usually made at the end of the year, this time it was released in early January.

Accordingly, North Korea has been designated as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom for 22 consecutive years. The State Department also expressed concern in its International Religious Freedom Report released last year that North Korea denies rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and that human rights abuses amounting to crimes against humanity continue in the country.

Countries on the Special Watch List include Algeria, Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam. This list is also the same as the State Department’s 2022 announcement. Additionally, groups such as Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, and the Islamic State (IS) were designated as Special Concern Entities.

Secretary Blinken urged, "Severe violations of religious freedom are also occurring in countries not included on the list," and called on "governments worldwide to stop attacks against religious minority groups."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.