North Korea has denounced the UN Human Rights Council’s decision this week of adopting a human rights resolution co-sponsored by the United States, Japan and the European Union condemning Pyongyang’s Rights record.
Earlier this week, the Council passed the resolution that for the 19th consecutive year accused North Korea of abusing the rights of its own people.
North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Han Tae Song said the resolution has “nothing to do with the real advancement and protection of human rights,” according to South Korean newspaper Herald Business.
Slamming the European Union’s “hostile policy” of “human rights sanctions” against his country, Han said the block was wrong in following America’s lead in such matters.
“It is important to keep in mind that the EU’s ignoring our repeated warnings and continuing to cling to the futile anti-state human rights commotion will result in unimaginable and disastrous consequences,” the North Korean diplomat said.
“The EU’s human rights clown show is remarkably reminiscent of someone else’s copy,” the ambassador said. “In such a scenario, why not call it the ‘EU United States Federation?'”
South Korea participated in the adoption process by consensus, but did not co-sponsor the resolution, something its been doing since 2019 citing Pyongyang’s willingness to cooperate with the international community over the exact same issues.
Seoul’s foreign ministry said its “unchanged” position came in the wake of the North’s push for peace on the Korean peninsula.
Han’s words, while void of any indications that North Korea intends to address obvious shortcomings in its human rights conduct, should not be entirely ignored.
The EU, while perfectly capable of challenging America’s human rights record, has chosen instead to blindly follow Washington around in condemning other nations.
Ignoring recent racial tensions across the United States, which drew worldwide condemnation but failed to produce any meaningful action by the Council, highlighted the EU’s double standards.
On the other hand, the EU has refused to give the US much of a headache over Trump’s decision to pull out from the UN Rights Council.
And more importantly, the move against North Korea comes amid ongoing debate in the EU and the US about their mishandling of illegal immigration.
With all that said, North Korea’s dark human rights record is an open book for anybody to read but the fact that the US and the EU out of all nations take the initiative to point it out indeed reminds one of a “clown show.”
