South Korea has co-sponsored a United Nations resolution on human rights in North Korea that was submitted to the General Assembly on Monday.

In a regular briefing Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said the resolution, led by the European Union, was introduced to the Third Committee of the General Assembly at its 77th session held in New York the day before.

Lim said South Korea has actively joined global discussions including those at the UN based on the stance that the North Korean human rights issue is a matter of universal rights that requires a consistent response based on principles.

Seoul's co-sponsorship of the resolution marks the first in four years after refraining from criticism of the North on the issue in consideration of such a move's impact on inter-Korean relations, a stance that was reversed by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

South Korea was a co-sponsor from 2008 to 2018.