S. Korea Co-Sponsors UN Resolution on North Korean Human Rights for 5th Consecutive Year

▲ UN General Assembly (File Footage)

The South Korean government has joined as a co-sponsor of the United Nations General Assembly's resolution on North Korean human rights for the fifth consecutive year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Our position is that substantively improving the human rights of North Korean residents is important, and we have participated as a co-sponsor in this North Korean human rights resolution as part of continuing our cooperation with the international community to that end."

The resolution on North Korean human rights, introduced by the European Union (EU), is expected to be adopted around November 18 – 19 in the UN General Assembly's Third Committee.

At South Korea's proposal, this resolution includes emphasizing the importance of dialogue and engagement with North Korea, including inter-Korean dialogue; urging progress on humanitarian issues such as abductees, detainees, South Korean prisoners of war, and separated families; and encouraging North Korea's engagement in the UN human rights arena.

The United Nations adopts resolutions on North Korean human rights each year, through the Human Rights Council in the first half of the year and the General Assembly in the second half.

South Korea participated as a co-sponsor from 2008 – 2018, but did not join from 2019 – 2021 under the Moon Jae-in administration, considering the potential impact on inter-Korean relations.

It then resumed participating as a co-sponsor every year starting in 2022, following the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

After the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, abstaining from co-sponsoring the resolution on North Korean human rights was considered in light of resuming dialogue and building trust with North Korea; however, the government participated once again, following last year's UN General Assembly resolution and the Human Rights Council resolution in the first half of this year.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)

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