The European Union (EU) will propose a new resolution on North Korea's human rights situation at the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) on Thursday and call for a special rapporteur to probe allegations of torture in the reculsive communist country.

The North Korea proposal, which the 53-member UNHRC will vote on next week, is notable for using stronger language than a similar resolution passed in 2003.

The earlier resolution sharply criticized "systemic, widespread and grave" human rights violations in the North, which Pyongyang has strongly denied.

North Korea has also refused to allow any independent investigation to provide evidence that the claims are false.

But EU diplomats said any decision to adopt the second, more strongly-termed resolution, would likely fail to alter North Korea's attitude of non-engagement on the subject.