S.Korea joins as co-sponsor of UN resolution on N. Korean human rights under Lee Jae-myung administration

The Lee Jae-myung administration has joined as a co-sponsor of the United Nations resolution on North Korean human rights for the first time since taking office.

According to the list of co-sponsoring countries released on November 12 by the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, South Korea was included among the nations supporting the draft resolution.

From 2008 to 2018, South Korea had consistently co-sponsored the resolution but withdrew from participation between 2019 and 2022 under the Moon Jae-in administration, which cited concerns about the potential impact on inter-Korean relations. The country returned as a co-sponsor in 2023 under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, and the new government has continued that policy line.

Given the Lee administration’s emphasis on engagement with North Korea, its decision to maintain participation drew diverse interpretations. However, officials appear to have prioritized the principle that “human rights are universal values.” While some within the government urged caution to avoid provoking Pyongyang, the prevailing view favored international cooperation for tangible improvements in North Korean human rights conditions.

A Foreign Ministry official stated, “The government is committed to working with the international community to achieve practical improvements in the human rights of North Korean people,” adding that this was the rationale behind Seoul’s decision to co-sponsor the resolution.

The United States, however, did not participate as a co-sponsor this year—a move reflecting President Donald Trump’s isolationist approach and his earlier decision in February to withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council.

This year’s resolution expresses “deep concern over the grave human rights situation in the DPRK, the widespread impunity, and the lack of accountability for human rights violations.” It also “condemns the diversion of resources toward military expenditures and illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programs at the expense of the welfare of its people.”

Furthermore, it notes with concern that North Korea’s January 2024 declaration to halt efforts toward reunification with South Korea could worsen human rights issues, including the plight of separated families. The resolution also warns of the potential consequences of Pyongyang’s “two-state theory.”

While reaffirming the importance of dialogue and engagement—including diplomatic efforts and inter-Korean communication—the resolution will be submitted to the UN General Assembly plenary for final adoption.

North Korea has consistently denounced such UN resolutions as “political provocations led by the United States and its followers.” Last year, Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson condemned the move as “an act infringing on the dignity and sovereignty of the state.”