The British government has recently designated North Korea as a "human rights priority country" and expressed grave concern on the human rights situation in the North, according to Radio Free Asia.

On Saturday, RFA reported that the UK Foreign Office issued its Human Rights and Democracy Report 2016 on Thursday, and placed North Korea among 30 human rights priority countries.

The UK foreign office said there were no signs of human rights conditions improving in North Korea as of last year, and cited serious concern over its neglect and violation of global human rights regulations and obligations.

The report also said the British ambassador in Pyongyang raised these issues during several meetings with North Korean officials.

Senior UK officials were also said to have brought up similar concerns during talks with North Korean embassy officials in London.

The UK Foreign Office issued a 2015 report on human rights priority countries in April of last year and has been assessing the state of human rights in those countries.

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