The impact of economic sanctions on political and economic rights and the health of North Korean citizens

Abstract

Sanctions have become one of the important foreign policy tools of states against each other in recent years. While sanctions have not always achived the desired results. North Korea is among the countries that has experienced the longest bilateral and multilateral sanctions. The present study seeks to answer the question of how sanctions have affected the human rights situation in North Korea. In response to this question, the research hypothesis points out that international sanctions have violated the fundamental rights of North Korean citizens. The theoretical framework of research is based on Pekson and Cooper theory. Also, we used descriptive-analytical and documentary method. The results showed that with the start of North Korea's 2006 nuclear tests and the most severe sanctions ever imposed against it, the sanctions have had a direct and indirect impact on the human rights situation in North Korea. In the political arena, sanctions, rather than changing North Korea's behavior, have led to the authoritarian government, repression, violence and reduced freedoms. In the area of health, sanctions have led to a decline in public health levels, increased infant mortality, Spread of diseases, malnutrition, and difficult access to drugs and treatment. In the area of economy, sanctions have directly reduced the value of the national currency, people's income and food supply. It also caused inflation and corruption, which has contributed to greater poverty in north Korea.