U.N. Panel Raps N. Korea’s Human Rights Abuses

Jiji Press

10:55 JST, April 6, 2023

PARIS (Jiji Press) — The U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution strongly condemning human rights abuses by North Korea, including its abductions of Japanese and other foreign nationals.

Stressing the urgent need to resolve the abduction issue, the resolution urges North Korea to ensure “the realization of their [abductees’] immediate return” and to engage in “constructive dialogue with the parties concerned,” including Japan.

The resolution was submitted by Sweden on behalf of the European Union, and was joined by Japan and other Group of Seven major democracies as well as countries including South Korea as co-sponsors.

South Korea co-sponsored such a resolution for the first time in five years after refraining from doing so under the previous administration of then President Moon Jae-in, which pursued a conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang.

The resolution asked North Korea to review its law on rejecting reactionary thought and culture, mainly designed to ban its citizens from enjoying South Korean music and television dramas.

The council also adopted a resolution criticizing human rights violations by Russia, which continues its invasion of Ukraine. China and Eritrea opposed this resolution.