World Report 2008: North Korea

North Korea remains one of the world’s most repressive states despite recent diplomatic openings with South Korea, the United States, and other countries. Human Rights Watch is urging the world to demand improvements instead of ignoring the dire human rights situation facing 25 million people.

North Korea’s central court has passed a death sentence in absentia on four South Korean journalists for writing positive reviews of an “insulting” book about North Korea’s growing market economy.

Authorities are cracking down on people fleeing the country, and on those who share information with the outside world.