1. The United Nations General Assembly Third Committee adopted a resolution on the situation of 
human rights in North Korea by 97 votes to 19, with 65 abstentions, at its sixty-forth session on 
November 19 (New York local time).

※ In 2008, a resolution on human rights in North Korea was adopted by 95 votes (including the ROK) 
to 24, with 62 abstentions, at the sixty-third session of the UN General Assembly (Third Committee).

2. In accordance with the basic stance on the North Korean human rights issue that “human rights 
are universal values of mankind and need to be dealt with per se, separate from other issues,” the 
Korean government co-sponsored and voted in favor of the resolution for the second consecutive year.

※ Resolutions on human rights in North Korea have been submitted to the UN General Assembly 
every year since 2005, and co-sponsored by more than 50 countries including EU, Japan, and the US. 
51 countries co-sponsored the resolution in 2008 and 53 countries this year.

3. This year’s resolution on human rights in North Korea contains provisions similar to those included 
in last year’s resolution, that △ express concern at grave violations of human rights in North Korea, and 
call for an immediate end to such violations, and △ express concern at harsh punishments imposed by 
the North Korean authorities on repatriated North Koreans, and urge all states to respect the principle of 
non-refoulement. It also contain new provisions, including those welcoming the recent resumption of the 
reunion of separated families, and urging states parties to comply with their obligations under the 1951 
Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol in relation to refugees from North 
Korea. 


                                    Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFAT 

* unofficial translation