The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution condemning human rights violations by North Korea and called for efforts to address the issue.

In a General Assembly meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, the resolution was passed by consensus without a vote, making it the 19th of its kind since 2005.

Led by the European Union, this year's resolution reflected the recent forced repatriation of North Korean escapees in China and called on UN members to observe the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The convention prohibits expulsion or extradition in cases where torture is a possibility upon return.

The resolution also stipulated that the North is raising funds for its nuclear weapons development via forced labor and other acts that violate human rights while also mentioning the issues of prisoners of war and abductees.

The resolution also urged the UN Security Council to consider referring the country to the International Criminal Court for human rights violations.