North Korea has a justifiable reputation as one of the world’s worst human rights violators. In pretty much every ranking, whether it be for freedom of the press, freedom of religion, or freedom of speech, Pyongyang’s government is named as a serial offender.

But five years on from the death of Kim Jong Il, is there any indication things may have started to improve under Kim Jong Un? And is there any sign that international pressure on human rights from either the United Nations or its individual member states could be yielding results?

To find out, NK Newsspoke to Judge Michael Kirby, the former lead on the United