Seoul backs UN resolution on N.Korea human rights

By Yi Whan-woo

South Korea's backing of a resolution adopted by a U.N. General Assembly committee on North Korea's dire human rights records, Thursday, was in accordance with a policy to pursue “substantive improvement, according to the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

said.

The U.N. Third Committee, which deals with social, humanitarian and cultural affairs, passed the resolution calling for the Kim regime's accountability for human rights violations.

The decision came as South Korea is trying to speed up reconciliation with the North while maintaining U.N. policies that are at odds with Kim Jong-un's regime.

The regime has been denying U.N. accusations of crimes against humanity, while at the same time calling for sanctions against it to be eased.

Circulated by Japan and the European Union, the resolution was passed by consensus without a vote. It was co-sponsored by 61 member states, including South Korea.

It is expected to pass the U.N. General Assembly in December for the 14th consecutive year.

“This year's resolution, while largely maintaining the content of previous versions, welcomes ongoing diplomatic efforts by Pyongyang and takes note of the importance of dialogue and engagement to address the human rights and humanitarian situation there,” the foreign ministry said.

It pointed out that the documents mentioned the reunions of separated families and other humanitarian acts of cooperation between the two Koreas, as well as condemnation of “long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.”

The U.N. has adopted a resolution against North Korean human rights since 2005.

This year's resolution refers to the U.N. Commission of Inquiry's 2014 findings on torture, rape, public executions, use of the death penalty for political and religious reasons and other types of human rights violations.

It calls on the U.N. Security Council consider sanctions to “target effectively those who appear to be most responsible for human rights violations.”