UN condemns N.Korea ‘rights abuses’ (Resolution is symbolic, faces possible veto in Security Council)

The United Nations on Tuesday adopted a resolution condemning North Korean rights abuses and called for the Security Council to consider referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.

The resolution was passed by a resounding vote of 111 to 19 with 55 abstentions in a General Assembly human rights committee.

Both China and Russia voted against the resolution on Tuesday along with countries like Cuba, Iran and Syria, who complained that the measure unfairly targeted North Korea.

• North Korea reacted angrily to the vote and announced that it was breaking off talks on improving human rights with the European Union, which drafted the resolution with Japan.

• Since the UN Security Council is not a proper platform to discuss the human rights issue and the referral to ICC will not help solve problems, China voted against the resolution, Hong Lei, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said on Wednesday.

Hong said that China consistently advocates for "constructive" dialogues and cooperation to settle disputes on the human rights issue, and opposes politicizing it and pressuring other countries with the issue.

Raising the human rights issue against North Korea to defame it is a method of the Western countries, especially the US, to make an excuse for not improving the bilateral relationship with Pyongyang, Li Dunqiu, a Korean studies scholar with Zhejiang University, told the Global Times.

North Korea resorted to various channels to improve ties with the US, including releasing American citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller on November 8, but the US does not wish to reciprocate as friendlier relations that contradict its strategies in Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, said Li.

• The non-binding measure will go to the full General Assembly for a vote next month.

• Li said the resolution is symbolic as China and Russia are likely to veto the measure at the Security Council.

This developed, even as Russian President Vladimir Putin met with a special North Korean envoy on Tuesday, Putin's office said.

Choe Ryong-hae, a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the ruling Workers' Party, delivered a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but no further details were provided.

In response to the frequent visits between Moscow and Pyongyang, Hong said on November 14 that China has always encouraged North Korea to cooperate with other countries.

However, Jin Qiangyi, the director of the Asia Studies Center at Yanbian University, said this exchange will not generate significant results as Russia has always been prudent about its ties with North Korea. "Even if Kim visits Russia, their ties will not be further improved. The nuclear issue cannot be bypassed," Jin told the Global Times.

Agencies contributed to this story
By Chen Heying Source:Global Times
19/11/14