Crimes against humanity in N Korea, U.N. panel finds

A U.N. panel has found crimes against humanity have been committed in North Korea and will call for an international criminal investigation,

And after the UN investigates and discovers what everyone already knows is true - then what? Will they actually do anything about it?

Not much to gain with military intervention, so no changes expected.

This is happening now, so it's obviously not as important as Japan's actions 70 years ago.

I'm sure the NK regime is already paranoid about losing power, the certain individuals would become accountable for crimes like the Nazis in the Nuremburg war trials after WW2. There would be a lot of aggreived victims wanting to play catch-up.

"I'm sure the NK regime is already paranoid about losing power, the certain individuals would become accountable for crimes like the Nazis in the Nuremburg war trials after WW2. There would be a lot of aggreived victims wanting to play catch-up."

One can only hope that the people who inflicted this suffering will get their comeuppance in our lifetime.

I can already see China blocking this. They're not going to let their deranged pet be brought to justice. China seems to look at the right thing, and then deliberately do the exact opposite. Punish monsters who commit crimes against Humanity? Nope, we're going to build monuments for them instead, and praise them. This investigation is going to hit a dead end, and nothing is going to happen. More's the pity.

I think that Japan, China and S.Korea should all get together to solve this mess. Just ignore the nationalists.

Nothing will come of it right away, but it's still a good first step. We may not be able to punish or even to stop these acts, but we can say, " we know what you've done and we won't be silent." Let the Chinese have to suffer the embarrassment of protecting their client state.

The best solution would be the "Romanian Option." Remember what happened to Nicolai and his wife on Christmas Day, 1989? That briefly restored my faith in God.....

I can already see China blocking this. They're not going to let their deranged pet be brought to justice. China seems to look at the right thing, and then deliberately do the exact opposite.

Lelean,that would be due to the fact that China's recent history (last 60 years) contains many of the same events, with the death count being considerably higher (a high estimate of nearly 80 million). That means The Chairman presided over one of the worst Genocide in history, and I'm pretty sure the Chinese Communist Party will want that kind of scrutiny kept right away from them. The little dog, is after all, only copying the big dog.

@Wolfpack What can the U.N. do? Nothing, it is all they ever and can do.

Wolfpack: "And after the UN investigates and discovers what everyone already knows is true - then what? Will they actually do anything about it?"

The question isn't "will they" but, "Can they", and the answer would be know. Any attempts to get in and investigate would be blocked by either NK or China, and even they were allowed in to inspect nothing would come of it. The only way there will be 'justice' is if the regime collapses and a Democratic government is put in. If that happened, which I do not forsee for the immediate future, previous leaders in various positions could be tried within that nation or maybe overseas.

It seems even China is losing patience with North Korea. According to wikileaks, China wouldn't be against a united Korea ( but with no US troops on the Chinese border ) but it seems the majority of South Koreans wouldn't welcome it. Barbara Demick's excellent 'Nothing To Envy' which documented the lives of those who escaped the North shows anecdotal evidence that there are those in the North who do not want unification either and would rather see their country retain its borders but without this regime in charge. China's support for North Korea seems to be partly based on a belief that a collapse of this regime could see millions flooding over the border into China.

But justice remains a distant prospect, not least as North Korea's ally, China, would be likely to block any referral to the International Criminal Court.

Not surprising considering China itself has been charged with committing genocide in Tibet.

"But justice remains a distant prospect, not least as North Korea’s ally, China, would be likely to block any referral to the International Criminal Court."

Heck, China is the sole reason there's a North Korea today, if they hadn't joined the Korean War on the side of North Korea, the entire peninsula would be the Republic of Korea. Thanks a lot, China.

There's not really anything the UN can do about it. What are they going to do..imprison the North Korean government?...really, to !e its based off of the hope for the future. N.K is already stubborn as it is in what they do. This is nothing new. This 'humane' thing has been going on ever since the Great Famine. I also agree, if China would have picked their sides correctly, then there wouldn't be a North Korea, they would be united.

But justice remains a distant prospect, not least as North Korea’s ally, China, would be likely to block any referral to the International Criminal Court.

For all the folks that actually believe that China is fed up with North Korea and ready to toss it to the wind, let's see if they do here.

This would be a great opportunity for China to show that all the new propaganda that they are ready to allow reunification with Seoul in charge.

This will further prove that Communist China isn't being sincere with Park and her dreams.

So, my money says that China will protect it's pawn and block any referral, because China needs North Korea to be a thorn in it's neighbor's side.

FooPeiLingFeb. 16, 2014 - 12:21AM JST There's not really anything the UN can do about it. What are they going to do..imprison the North Korean government?

Actually the ICC has a lot of sway and if they indict someone they can try them. Look up some of the folks that have gone before their court.

I'd say South Korea is becoming more friendly towards China than North Korea. North Korea is pretty much irrelevant.

@smithinjapan:

The question isn't "will they" but, "Can they", and the answer would be know. Any attempts to get in and investigate would be blocked by either NK or China, and even they were allowed in to inspect nothing would come of it.

And everyone knows this to be true - so what's the point? Does anyone seriously think that the North Koreans give a damn what the international community thinks? Crimes against humanity is all in a good days work for this socialist utopia.