1. The Third Committee of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the situation of human rights in North Korea on November 18 (New York time), with 111 states voting in favor, 19 against and 55 abstaining. The resolution had been tabled by the EU and Japan, and co-sponsored by the largest-ever number of 60 countries, including the Republic of Korea.

- Botswana, which had severed diplomatic relations with North Korea over the latter’s human rights situation, was one of the new co-sponsors.

* The UN General Assembly had adopted resolutions on the situation of human rights in North Korea with a vote from 2005 to 2011, with the number of countries voting in favor of the resolutions gradually increasing. The resolution was adopted without a vote in 2012 and 2013.

* The ROK government has co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolutions on the situation of human rights in North Korea since 2008.

◦ Prior to the adoption of the resolution, the Cuban proposal to remove some elements, including the reference on a referral of the situation in the DPRK to the International Criminal Court (ICC) from the resolution, was put to a vote only to be rejected, with 40 voting in favor, 77 against and 50 abstaining.

2. The latest resolution encourages the UN Security Council, by drawing upon the recommendations by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, North Korea), to consider referring the situation in North Korea to the ICC and imposing effective targeted sanctions on those who appear to be most responsible for crimes against humanity.

◦ The resolution condemns “systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights,” including crimes against humanity, in North Korea, and urged the DPRK to immediately put an end to violations of human rights and to implement the COI recommendations.

◦ The resolution welcomes the recently expressed willingness of North Korea to consider human rights dialogues with the international community, technical cooperation with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and a country visit of the Special Rapporteur. It also calls upon the DPRK to engage constructively with the international community, with a view to promoting concrete improvements in the human rights situation on the ground.

◦ With regard to the protection of North Korean refugees and asylum seekers, it urges all states to respect the principle of non-refoulement.

3. Following the adoption of a resolution on the human rights situation in the DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council this March, the adoption of the GA resolution with stronger language reflects the international community’s concern over the serious human rights situation in North Korea as well as its belief that the thorough implementation of the COI recommendations is crucial for improving human rights situation in the DPRK.


               Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation