North Korea Rejects UN Human Rights Resolution as Political Provocation
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Seoul, April 2 (NationPress) On Thursday, North Korea expressed strong disapproval of a recent United Nations resolution addressing human rights violations within its borders, labeling it a "serious political provocation."
This response followed the unanimous adoption of the annual resolution concerning human rights in Pyongyang by the UN Human Rights Council during its 61st regular session, which was co-sponsored by 50 nations, including South Korea, on Monday.
A spokesperson for the North Korean foreign ministry described the resolution as an anti-DPRK 'human rights resolution' and condemned it as a serious affront to the dignity and sovereignty of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.
The resolution criticized the ongoing, systematic, and egregious human rights violations in North Korea and urged the regime to take immediate actions to rectify these abuses.
In its statement, North Korea argued that the UN's human rights review process, which targets individual nations, is a hostile act that contradicts the UN Charter's principle of non-interference in domestic matters.
They added, "The ongoing practice of adopting such anti-DPRK 'human rights resolutions' for over two decades exemplifies the deplorable state of the UN human rights arena, which has been marred by politicization, selectivity, and double standards."
N. Korea's foreign ministry warned that it would take note of the "malicious actions" of countries participating in the denouncement of its national and social institutions.
The statement also referenced the killing of hundreds of children in need of special protection by precision-guided weapons, presumably related to a US strike that resulted in the deaths of nearly 200 students and teachers in Iran, possibly as an attempt to deflect criticism regarding its own human rights record.
An official from Seoul's unification ministry noted that North Korea's response to this year's resolution appears to be more vehement than in previous years, particularly in light of the regime's intention to consider the responses of participating nations.
Sources indicate that this year's pointed remarks may specifically target the South Korean government, as North Korea could accuse the South of inconsistency for co-sponsoring the resolution despite ongoing calls for peaceful coexistence.