UN members trade accusations at meeting on human rights situation in N.Korea
At the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, a plenary meeting was held to address human rights abuses and violations in North Korea.
Two female defectors from the country were called as witnesses. They took to the podium at the beginning of the meeting and shared their experiences.
One woman said that it is better to be shot crossing the Tumen River than to starve in the North. The other defector said that young people have been executed in the country for secretly watching South Korean dramas.
The two women suggested that silence is complicity, and they urged the member states to take action.
The United States was among the members that criticized the North. It said that unlawful nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in North Korea are "inextricably linked to the regime's human rights abuses." It added that the North's actions threaten global peace and security.
Japanese UN Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki said, "Japan strongly urges Pyongyang to immediately return all abductees and asks for the international community to unite in a concerted effort to secure their return."
North Korea's UN Ambassador Kim Song described the two defectors as "the scum of the earth." He claimed that they do not care about their parents and their families. Kim also said it was "deplorable" that they had been invited to serve as witnesses.
A representative from Russia expressed opposition to the UN Security Council's sanctions. The representative described the measures as obstacles to the development of North Korea and the protection of human rights.
Russia has been deepening its ties to North Korea.
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