Although an armistice signed in 1953 effectively brought an end to the Korean War, no peace treaty was ever signed and relations between North and South Korea remain tense to this day. In 2010, two serious military incidents (sinking of the Cheonan vessel and shelling of Yeongpyeong Island) underlined the high risk of a renewed outbreak of major conflict.

In recent months, North and South Korea have engaged in informal talks but there has been no sustained, official dialogue. The Six-Party Talks on nuclear issues, which include North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States, have stalled since 2009 and little progress has been made on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

Gro Harlem Brundtland and Jimmy Carter discuss health care with doctors at Pyongsong City Hospital, North Korea, April 2011

Citizens in North Korea receive food primarily through a public distribution system. However, after poor harvests, adverse weather conditions and a decrease in humanitarian aid, there have been food shortages in North Korea for some years. Stunting and malnutrition are serious problems among the North Korean population.

International aid to North Korea has always been low, and has declined even further in recent years. Some international donors are concerned that food aid might not reach the most needy and vulnerable people, and could be diverted to the military. However, food remains both a basic humanitarian need and a fundamental human right. The World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies operating in North Korea need urgent support from the international community, especially to ensure the needs of the most vulnerable people are met.

There are reports of grave human rights violations in North Korea, including poor conditions in detention camps, large numbers of political prisoners, public executions and constraints on freedom of expression and opinion. The families of North Korean citizens who attempt to escape or seek asylum are often punished. The United Nations’ human rights representative on North Korea has never been allowed to visit the country. Concerns over human rights also include inadequate access to health care.

The Elders hope that peace negotiations between North and South Korea and moves to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula will achieve security and stability for both countries and for the wider North East Asian region. Within North Korea, the Elders want to see greater respect for human rights and clear indications that the government prioritises the welfare of its citizens above all.