Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Seoul backs UN action on Pyongyang
By Yi Whan-woo
The government said Friday that it welcomes the United Nations’ adoption of a landmark resolution against North Korea for its alleged state-perpetrated violations of human rights.
“The overwhelming support for the resolution shows the will of the U.N. and international community to take firm measures toward Pyongyang’s critical human rights situation,” foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kwang-il said in a statement.
During the U.N. General Assembly in New York Thursday, 116 countries voted for the resolution accusing North Korea of crimes against humanity. Twenty other nations voted against the resolution, while 53 abstained.
The resolution requested the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) refer North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The vote took place as the U.N. General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee brought the case forward following a vote on Nov. 18 over whether to adopt the resolution.
Back then, 111 countries, including the United States, the 28 European Union countries, South Korea and Japan voted in favor of the motion. Nineteen others voted against and 55 abstained.
“It’s notable that the U.N. resolution this time asks North Korea to take appropriate measures to take responsibility for its human rights situation,” Noh said. “And we urge Pyongyang to do so.”
The U.N. General Assembly’s resolution will be legally binding if the UNSC approves it. The UNSC is scheduled to convene a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue.
It remains to be seen whether China and Russia, two of the five permanent UNSC members, will use their veto power to block any move against Pyongyang.
Beijing has been Pyongyang’s traditional ally for decades. North Korea has been stepping up efforts to enhance its bilateral ties with Moscow in recent months in an apparent bid to escape international isolation.
The Kim Jong-un regime reacted furiously to the U.N.’s decision Friday.
An Myong-hun, Pyongyang’s deputy ambassador to the U.N., said his country “totally rejects” the resolution, calling the human rights abuse issue a tool to overthrow his country’s leadership.
An claimed the U.N. should instead investigate the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)’s harsh treatment of terror suspects. Released on Dec. 12, the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on the CIA revealed details of a detention, torture and interrogation program carried out by the CIA against suspected terrorists.
In a separate statement, North Korea criticized South Korea for “keeping mum” regarding the CIA’s torture.
“The South lacks sovereignty and has been reacting in accordance with orders given by its master, the U.S.,” a spokesman for the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) said in an interview with the regime’s state-controlled media. The CPRK deals with all inter-Korean issues.