VOC Experts Testify Before Congress

On Tuesday, April 28, VOC Academic Council Member Dr. Tara O and Advisory Council Member Dr. Suzanne K. Scholte testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in a hearing on the human rights situation in North Korea.

As outlined by the commission, the North Korean regime remains among the most severe and closed in the world. “The government continues to maintain pervasive political control, including strict limits on expression, movement, and access to outside information, enforced through an extensive security apparatus and penal system. At the same time, reports in recent years indicate intensified efforts by the state to block external information flows, further tighten ideological control, and adapt internal surveillance mechanisms in response to foreign media penetration and border changes following COVID-era restrictions. While the basic structure of repression remains intact, observers note evolving tactics aimed at insulating the population from outside influence and strengthening internal discipline amid economic and social strain.”

Watch the full hearing below.