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The United Nations voted in favor of a resolution on North Korea's human rights situation on Friday morning (Korean time) by a count of 84 in favor, 22 against and 62 abstentions.
England, Germany, France and 25 other European Union countries sponsored the bill that represents a united plea from the international community for North Korea to clean up its draconian human rights record.
UN officials said the General Assembly¡¯s Third Committee passed the resolution, which follows a similar motion passed on Thursday (New York time) that calls on Myanmar to improve its human rights record.
Out of the 191 UN member countries, 168 attended the latest vote following the majority rule. After explaining its position, the South Korean government -- caught between appeasing allies and other world leaders and mending fences with its foe of half-a-century -- abstained.
The EU presented the resolution for the first time on Nov. 2 at the UN General Assembly, citing a macabre kaleidoscope of human rights abuses in the Stalinist state that includes torture, public executions, labor camps for political dissidents, infanticide and the abduction of foreigners.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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