UN PASSES RESOLUTION ON N.KOREA HUMAN RIGHTS

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The United Nations has passed a resolution on North Korea human rights for 16 consecutive years. It warns the North Korean leader of additional sanctions unless he takes appropriate measures to improve his country's human rights situation. Pyongyang strongly rebutted the resolution, calling it a serious provocation.

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​The United Nations has unanimously passed a resolution on North Korea human rights issues. Its bill was approved by the U.N. Third Committee on November 18. Similar resolutions have been passed for 16 consecutive years. It highlights human rights violations in North Korea, such as torture, sexual violence, forced incarceration of political criminals, and bans on religion and rallies. It also warns that the U.N. could impose additional sanctions against "perpetrators" and refer the situation in the country to the International Criminal Court. This warning has been included in the resolution for seven consecutive years, in which the biggest "perpetrator" has been widely believed to be in reference to Kim Jong-un. The resolution also urges Pyongyang to allow international organizations in, as the COVID-19 pandemic could exacerbate the humanitarian situation in the country. Although it does not mention in detail the death of a South Korean civil servant defector in the West Sea dating back to September, the resolution does say that the U.N. has accepted the report filed by Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana, who condemned Pyongyang and demanded compensation for the defector's bereaved family. North Korea strongly rebutted the resolution. Its U.N. Ambassador Kim Song called it "fake information created by defectors and a serious provocation." He blasted the European Union, which led the resolution, and said it should take care of its own human rights violations instead. China also criticized western nations for their double standard, and refused to participate in the unanimous adoption of the resolution. The latest resolution was proposed jointly by 58 nations, including the EU, Japan, the U.S. and the U.K. South Korea has not taken part in the joint proposal since last year, and only participated in the passage of the resolution by unanimous consent.