The U.S. says it remains gravely concerned and deeply troubled by the human rights violations faced by North Koreans in virtually every aspect of their lives. 

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert released the statement on Wednesday to mark North Korea Freedom Week, an annual event to raise awareness about the North Korean regime's human rights abuses.

She said millions of North Koreans continue to suffer under one of the most repressive and abusive governments in the world. 

Nauert said the U.S. will continue its efforts to increase the flow of independent information both in and out of the North “to present everyday North Koreans with a more realistic picture of the outside world.”

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