North Korea’s mission to the United Nations criticized the European Union over a draft resolution addressing the country’s human rights record, telling the bloc to “mind its own business,” according to a statement reported by Euronews.
The mission described the draft as a politically motivated provocation and said it distorted the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The statement was carried by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, Euronews reported.
The European Union had said it would present a resolution on North Korea during the UN General Assembly’s 81st session, according to the European External Action Service. The draft was expected to be considered by the Assembly’s Third Committee before going to the full General Assembly for a final decision.
Annual UN action on North Korea
The General Assembly has adopted resolutions on North Korea’s human rights situation annually since 2005. The latest dispute comes as the UN’s human rights office has said conditions in the country showed no improvement over the previous decade and had worsened in many areas.
North Korea has rejected international criticism of its rights record. The UN and other critics have raised concerns including prison camps and restrictions on freedom of expression and access to information.
Clayton Ward