UN Discussion on Rights Abuse in N Korea 'Declaration of War': Pyongyang

MOSCOW, December 26 (Sputnik) — Pyongyang on Friday bitterly criticized the UN Security Council's discussion on alleged human rights abuses in North Korea, calling it a "declaration of war."

Human rights violations in North Korea was discussed Monday by the UN Security Council, which decided to hand the issue over to the International Criminal Court.

According to the the North Korean Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF), the UN Security Council's focus on the country's human rights situation is "a shameless challenge and a grave provocation against magnificent socialist system and North Korean people, and can be estimated as a declaration of war," Korean Central News Agency reported.

In February, the UN Commission of Inquiry released a report listing wide-ranging crimes against humanity in North Korea, calling on the international community to protect North Korean citizens from human rights abuses.

Pyongyang has repeatedly dismissed the accusations, insisting that evidence supporting such claims have been fabricated.

Before the Security Council meeting Monday, members held a vote on whether North Korean's human rights record should be included on its agenda. China and Russia, permanent members of the Council with veto powers, voted against it. However, as the vote was procedural, no vetoes could be used. North Korea refused to take part in the meeting.