N. Korea 'Rejects' UN Human Rights Council's Recommendations

North Korea has rejected 63 out of 262 recommendations by the United Nations Human Rights Council on improving the human rights situation in the communist country.
According to a working group report adopted on Tuesday for the Council's recent review of the North conducted last week, Pyongyang said it would "note" recommendations from Council members Germany and the Netherlands to abolish its political prisons and forced labor.
Under diplomatic circumstances, when a country uses a term other than "accept," it is considered to have turned down the recommendation.
Pyongyang also didn't respond to recommendations that it eradicate class discrimination and allow entry of the UN rapporteur on its human rights record.
The country wasn't expected to "accept" such recommendations since it denied the very existence of political prisons, forced labor and class discrimination during last week's review.
Meanwhile, the North said it would finalize its position on recommendations for it to ratify international human rights accords, join the International Labor Organization and maintain dialogue with the Council by September.
[Photo : YONHAP News]