TIME: The U.N. General Assembly on Monday condemned North Korea’s “systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights” and its diversion of resources into pursing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles over the welfare of its people.
It noted “with concern” that over 10 million North Koreans are estimated to be undernourished and that there is “an unacceptably high prevalence of chronic and acute malnutrition” in the reclusive northeast Asian nation.
The resolution, sponsored by Japan and the European Union, was adopted by consensus, though countries including Russia, China, Cuba and Venezuela disassociated themselves from it. Many expressed opposition to assembly resolutions singling out specific countries and said the Geneva-based Human Rights Council should deal with rights issues.
North Korea’s U.N. ambassador, Kim Song, said his country “categorically rejects” the resolution, calling it “a product of (a) political plot and hostile forces.”
He accused Japan of “provoking confrontation” with North Korea “by going back against the main trend in (the) Korean peninsula” when delicate political negotiations are underway.
Since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reached out to South Korea and the United States early this year, the two Korean leaders have met several times and Kim held a historic summit with President Donald Trump — with another one expected in the new year. But there has been no significant progress on Kim’s commitment to nuclear disarmament, and as a result no lifting of U.N. or U.S. sanctions against North Korea.
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