MOSCOW, November 19 (Sputnik) — China spoke against politicizing human rights issue in North Korea and voiced concern over using such issues to pressurize other countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hong Lei said in a Wednesday statement published on the ministry's website.
"It is China's long-standing position that all countries should address differences concerning human rights through constructive dialogue and cooperation, and human rights issues shall not be politicized or be used to pressurize other countries", Hong Lei noted at a Wednesday press conference in Beijing while commenting on the UN General Assembly resolution on human rights issue in North Korea.
On Tuesday, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) of the UN General Assembly approved a resolution that urged the Security Council to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over human rights violations.
However, Hong Lei underscored that "UN Security Council is not the right place to discuss human rights issues." He also condemned the referral of North Korea's human rights issues to the ICC which "is not conducive to their resolution."
The resolution was adopted by 111 countries in favour, 19 against and 55 abstained.
"Therefore, China voted against the resolution of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on the DPRK's [North Korea] human rights issue," China's spokesperson stated at the conference.
The resolution was drafted on the basis of the February UN inquiry report on the situation of human rights in North Korea. The report revealed that North Korean security chiefs should face international justice for widespread abuses, systematic torture and killing orders.
Pyongyang has constantly denied the human rights abuses and the existence of political camps in the country.
