7353rd meeting on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Security Council, in Divided Vote, Puts Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Situation on Agenda following Findings of Unspeakable Human Rights Abuses
7353rd Meeting (PM)

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 02:02:15
• Production Date: 22 December 2014
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Personal Subject: IVAN ŠIMONOVIC; JEFFREY FELTMAN
• Subject Topical: CYBER SECURITY; HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
• MAMS Id: 1271988
• Parent Id: 1271765

Description

Concerted action by the international community was needed following a Human Rights Council report on appalling, systematic abuses in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, high United Nations officials told the Security Council today, following a procedural vote of 11 in favour to 2 against (China, Russian Federation), with 2 abstentions (Chad, Nigeria) that put the situation on the body’s agenda.

“Rarely has such an extensive charge-sheet of international crimes been brought to this Council’s attention,” Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Šimonović said, during the first meeting under the new agenda item that was decoupled with that concerning non-proliferation. Today’s meeting also heard from Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Taye-Brook Zerihoun.

The meeting was requested in a letter sent to the Council President by 10 of its members (document S/2014/872) expressing concern about the “the scale and gravity of human rights violations” described in the report of the Commission of Inquiry established by the Human Rights Council (document S/2014/276) and its impact on international peace and security.

A resolution to submit the Commission report to the Security Council was adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December, following action by its Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural). The resolution encouraged the Council to consider referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court, as well as targeted sanctions against those who contributed to what the Commission had called “crimes against humanity”. (See Press Release GA/11604.)

Also speaking today were the representatives of the United States, France, Nigeria, Luxembourg, Jordan, China, Chile, Rwanda, Lithuania, Argentina, Australia and Republic of Korea.
The meeting began at 3:08 p.m., was suspended at 3:15 p.m., resumed at 3:22 p.m. and ended at 5:10 p.m.