UN Third Committee Adopts North Korea Human Rights Resolution... South Korea Also Co-Sponsors

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly held a meeting on the 16th (local time) at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA, and announced that it adopted the North Korea Human Rights Resolution condemning North Korea's widespread human rights violations and demanding improvement measures by consensus (unanimous agreement) without a vote.

The North Korea Human Rights Resolution has passed the UN Human Rights Committee for 18 consecutive years since 2005. The South Korean government participated as a sponsor country of the resolution for the first time in four years.

The resolution lists ▲ torture, arbitrary detention, sexual violence ▲ political prison camps ▲ enforced disappearances ▲ restrictions on freedom of movement ▲ treatment of repatriated defectors ▲ restrictions on freedom of thought, religion, expression, and assembly ▲ violations of economic, social, and cultural rights ▲ human rights violations against women, children, and persons with disabilities, stating that it "strongly condemns North Korea's systematic and widespread human rights violations in the strongest terms."

In particular, this year's resolution newly included content regarding the killing of public officials in the West Sea and the repatriation of North Korean fishermen. To the existing provisions expressing concerns about torture, summary executions, arbitrary detention, and abductions of foreigners, the sentence "urges North Korea to disclose all relevant information to the bereaved families and related agencies" was added. Regarding the forced repatriation of North Korean fishermen, it also reflected the point that "North Korean residents repatriated to North Korea must not be subjected to enforced disappearance, arbitrary execution, torture, or unfair treatment."

The resolution is scheduled to be submitted to the UN General Assembly plenary session next month. At the meeting, Kim Sung, North Korea's Ambassador to the UN, rebutted by saying, "We firmly reject the contents of the resolution" and called it a "political tactic."

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