North Korea told a U.N. committee this month that it is taking efforts to promote the freedom and welfare of persons with disabilities, a development that one expert welcomed as a sign of continuing progress on the issue despite the country’s pandemic isolation.

In a wide-ranging set of responses to questions posed by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) last year, Pyongyang repeatedly affirmed its focus on equality, respect and accessibility for persons with disabilities.