UN COMMITTEE ON N. KOREA'S HUMAN RIGHTS

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A United Nations committee adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses. Unlike those in the past, this year's resolution highlighted the importance of inter-Korean dialogue to improve the human rights situation in North Korea. South Korea was not one of the co-sponsoring nations for the first time since 2008.

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The United Nations Third Committee overseeing human rights issues adopted a resolution on North Korea by consensus without a vote. The human rights resolution passed the U.N. committee for the 15th straight year since 2005. It condemned "the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in North Korea by the regime" and called on the communist state to immediately stop the abuses and improve its human rights situation. The U.N. representatives then recommended that the Security Council "refer North Korea's human rights cases to the International Criminal Court and take appropriate actions on those who are most responsible for the abuses. The term "those that are most responsible" appears to target North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. This year's resolution contained new ways to improve the human rights situation and humanitarian efforts in North Korea.It stressed the importance of inter-Korean dialogue and contacts and also contained detailed ways to hold reunions for separated families. North Korean Ambassador to the U.N. called the resolution a "politically fabricated false claim."

[Soundbite] KIM SONG(N. KOREAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.)

The resolution was drafted by EU members. The U.S. and Japan were among the co-sponsoring nations. The South Korean government was not among the co-sponsoring nations for the first time since 2008. However, Seoul's representative did take part in the adoption process through consensus. The Representative said the decision came after considering all the factors associated with the Korean Peninsula. The resolution that passed the U.N. Third Committee will eventually be adopted at the U.N. General Assembly slated for next month.