UN Third Committee Adopts North Korea Human Rights Resolution... South Korea Absent as Co-Sponsor for 3 Consecutive Years

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The Third Committee under the UN General Assembly adopted the North Korea human rights resolution by consensus (unanimous agreement) for the seventh consecutive year without a vote. As the resolution is expected to be processed at next month's UN General Assembly, North Korea strongly opposed it.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 17th (local time), the Third Committee held a meeting and passed the North Korea human rights resolution. This year, too, no member state requested a vote, so it was adopted by consensus.

South Korea did not join as a co-sponsor this time either. Since the 2018 inter-Korean summit, South Korea has not been listed as a co-sponsor for three consecutive years.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "Our government participated in the consensus adoption of the resolution this year as well, under the basic stance of working with the international community to ensure the practical improvement of human rights for North Korean residents."

The resolution, led by European Union (EU) member states, added content urging North Korea to cooperate with relevant organizations such as COVAX, an international project for joint purchase and distribution of vaccines, to supply and distribute COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner.

The resolution recommended that North Korea prioritize the entry of international organization staff and the transportation of humanitarian relief supplies for vaccine distribution.

The resolution expressed "deep concern over the worsening of North Korea's precarious humanitarian situation due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing border closures."

The resolution included wording targeting North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un for the eighth consecutive year since 2014. It also stated that it "encourages diplomatic efforts to improve North Korea's human rights and humanitarian situation and emphasizes the importance of dialogue and engagement, including inter-Korean dialogue."

The resolution also contained language urging the resumption of separated family reunions and the immediate repatriation of abducted victims, including Japanese nationals. Concerns about human rights violations against unrepatriated prisoners of war and their descendants were included in the resolution for the first time.

North Korea strongly opposed the resolution. Kim Song, North Korea's ambassador to the UN, said, "This is a political tactic unrelated to the protection and promotion of human rights," and "firmly denied" it. Ambassador Kim stated, "The human rights violations listed in the resolution do not exist in our country," and defined it as "a product of hostile policies against North Korea."

He counterattacked by saying that the United States and Western countries are the "worst human rights violators," citing racial discrimination and police violence.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.