UN committee resolution could refer North Korea rulers to International Criminal Court

Special to WorldTribune.com

By John J. Metzler

UNITED NATIONS Its one of the tougher warnings the world community has sent to the neo-Stalinist regime in North Korea; a detailed condemnation of widespread human rights abuses in the reclusive communist country and, as significantly, a call that the Case and the regime leadership be eventually referred to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

The vote in the UNs Third Committee (Political) sent a resounding message; 111 in favor, 19 against, and 55 abstentions.

Supporting the resolution were the Americans, European Union countries, South Korea, Japan and other democracies. Opposition came from the DPRKs ideological comrades such as China, Cuba, Russia, and Venezuela along with the usual suspects as Myanmar (Burma), Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe. The abstentions were cast by India, Indonesia, and South Africa.

Choe Myong-Nam of North Korea, second from left, observes as a UN committee votes on a resolution condemning human rights abuses in his country. / Bebeto Matthews / AP

Though the vote is not legally binding, the measure sends a strong political message to Pyongyang. This is the tenth year a vote on DRRK human rights has been held.

A tough European Union/Japanese draft resolution co-sponsored by 62 other countries including the USA, South Korea and Australia sets in motion a process which while condemning the quaintly titled Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) , equally opens the door to possible prosecution of the Pyongyang rulers in the ICC.

Finally, the UN has sent a message today that North Korean rulers who starve and enslave their own people must be held accountable, opined Hillel Neuer of UN Watch, a Geneva based human rights watchdog.

First however, and this is the key, the case must pass the UN Security Council where such a censure would likely be vetoed by Mainland China.

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UN committee resolution could refer North Korea rulers to International Criminal Court