UN panel adopts resolution condemning N. Korea's human rights abuses

A United Nations committee has adopted a resolution,... calling for accountability for the grave human right violations carried out by the North Korean regime.
The resolution was passed by consensus without a vote for the 15th straight year.
Lee Seung-jae reports.
On Thursday,... the UN Third Committee,... which oversees humanitarian issues around the world,... passed a resolution calling for accountability for the ongoing and gross human rights violations taking place in North Korea.
The document was passed by consensus without a vote for the 15th year in a row.
According to the text drafted by EU member states,... the UN "condemns the long-standing and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights in and by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, including those that may amount to crimes against humanity."
The resolution also calls for the UN Security Council to "take appropriate action to ensure accountability,"... by considering referring the North Korean situation to the International Criminal Court and consider further sanctions to target "those who appear to be most responsible for human rights violations",... an apparent reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The EU countries and 40 other member countries including the United States, Canada, and Japan participated in the joint proposal.
Some countries, including China and Russia, did not join the consensus,... but did not demand a vote.
While South Korea joined the consensus,... it did not participate in the joint proposal.
South Korea participated in the joint proposal from 2008 until last year.
This year's resolution largely contains the same language as those of previous years,... and is expected to pass the UN General Assembly next month.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.