Human rights organizations, and independent media must be given full access to North Korea, thereby ending the information blockade that has prevented the true picture of conditions in North Korea from being known. Both the distribution of and access to humanitarian relief to the North must be adequately and transparently monitored to verify relief is reaching those most in need.

The DPRK stands as one of the worst countries in the world for free and accessible media access. Much of the countries reporting to citizens comes directly from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), though some agencies like Frances’ AFP and Kyodo News are in the country, though closely monitored by the administration. The DPRK bases its regime on surveillance, censorship, propaganda, and suppression of the true media.