South Korea was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the sixth time.

The UN General Assembly elected South Korea to the 47-member council in a secret ballot at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday.

The country will serve on the council for three years, from 2025 to 2027.

The UN Human Rights Council was launched in 2006 when the Human Rights Commission, under the UN Economic and Social Council, was upgraded to an organization under the UN General Assembly. 

The council promotes human rights and basic freedoms in the international community and plays a role in addressing serious, systematic human rights violations.

Besides South Korea, Cyprus, the Marshall Islands, Qatar and Thailand were elected to the council.

Only Saudi Arabia had applied unsuccessfully.