South Korea joins UN resolution condemning North Korean human rights violations for third year
Published: 12 Nov. 2025, 18:05
![South Korea has joined a United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution as a co-sponsor condemning North Korea’s human rights violations, shown here. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/12/cf05afe1-2a9b-46ab-b885-1848eae608b5.jpg)
South Korea has joined a United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution as a co-sponsor condemning North Korea’s human rights violations, shown here. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
South Korea has joined a United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution condemning North Korea’s human rights violations for a third consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to international norms despite a change to the new Lee Jae Myung administration.
The resolution, released Wednesday on the UN General Assembly's website, lists South Korea among 41 co-sponsoring countries. South Korea had supported similar resolutions from 2008 to 2018 but refrained from doing so between 2019 and 2022 under the Moon Jae-in administration, which prioritized inter-Korean relations. The following Yoon Suk Yeol administration resumed co-sponsorship in 2023.
This year’s resolution marks the first to be submitted since the inauguration of the current administration, which has emphasized improving ties with the North. Speculation had emerged that the new government might withdraw its support for human rights resolutions and pursue a more conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang.
That speculation was further fueled after the Ministry of Unification recently restructured its organization to scale back its focus on North Korean human rights and stopped publicly releasing its annual Report on North Korean Human Rights.
Nevertheless, South Korea's decision to remain a co-sponsor was seen as a continuation of its long-standing position to uphold human rights in North Korea within the international community.
“The government believes it is important to bring about tangible improvements in the human rights of North Koreans and is committed to cooperating with the international community toward that end,” a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said.
![North Korean state broadcaster Korean Central Television reported Oct. 23 that a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Pyongyang's Hwasong District on Saturday for the construction of the ″Overseas Military Operations Combat Meritorious Service Memorial Hall,″ commemorating North Korean soldiers who took part in Russia's military campaign in the Kursk region. The ceremony was attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, shown here, and key party, government and military officials. [KOREAN CENTRAL TELEVISION]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/12/fbbf9101-edbd-4156-a628-b8e870ec529b.jpg)
North Korean state broadcaster Korean Central Television reported Oct. 23 that a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Pyongyang's Hwasong District on Saturday for the construction of the ″Overseas Military Operations Combat Meritorious Service Memorial Hall,″ commemorating North Korean soldiers who took part in Russia's military campaign in the Kursk region. The ceremony was attended by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, shown here, and key party, government and military officials. [KOREAN CENTRAL TELEVISION]
The resolution, passed by the General Assembly’s Third Committee, is expected to be presented to the full assembly next month for final adoption.
The United States, which has consistently co-sponsored the resolution in past years, did not join this time. The move follows the country’s withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council in February by decision of U.S. President Donald Trump.
This year’s resolution once again expresses concern over North Korea’s “two-state theory,” first raised in 2024, in which Pyongyang declared it would no longer pursue unification with South Korea.
The resolution highlights “the possible negative impact on the human rights situation, including that of separated families, following the announcement of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in January 2024 that it would no longer pursue reunification with the Republic of Korea.”
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea refers to North Korea’s official name, while the Republic of Korea is South Korea’s.
It also condemns the regime’s “grave human rights situation, the pervasive culture of impunity and the lack of accountability for human rights violations and abuses.” It criticizes how Pyongyang is “continuing to divert a disproportionate amount of its resources into military spending and the pursuit of its unlawful nuclear weapons and ballistic missile [programs] over the welfare of its people.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK HYUN-JU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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