Donald Trump will assume the American presidency during a pivotal time in U.S.-Asian relations. Rising tensions with China; uncertainties over the extent of Washington's commitment to the security of Japan and South Korea; a nuclear armed North Korea; differences with the Philippines over previously unquestioned values; and anxieties relating to impending U.S. demands for changes to trade agreements are some of the pressing matters that will quickly find their way to the new president's desk. As these issues rightly deserve the new administration's focus, human rights must not fall through the cracks among America's efforts in the region.
Tragically, the human condition in Asia has deteriorated in recent years while the elite and protected of many countries have enjoyed the benefits from the region's economic rise and elevated geopolitical status. The following are a few examples of some of the worst ongoing human rights abuses in the region:
North Korea: New satellite images show that North Korea may be expanding its gulags where political prisoners are routinely raped, tortured, starved and subject to forced labor and executions. To make matters worse, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute, this year roughly 4 out of 10 North Koreans are not getting enough food due to mismanaged policies and food aid that is squandered by the military. Dictator Kim Jong Un, whose personal weight is estimated to have reached 135 kg, recently suggested through state media that his nation may face a widespread starvation similar to the 1990s famine in which 3.5 million people were believed to have died.
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