North Korea | Talks under way for first UN rights chief visit

North Korean diplomat Ri Hung Sik, center, speaks to reporters at the North Korean mission in New York

North Korea and the United Nations both confirmed Tuesday that discussions are under way for what would be the first visit to the reclusive north Asian country by a U.N. human rights chief.
North Korea’s rights record has been called abysmal and led to a recommendation that the country be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote later this week on a resolution sponsored by the European Union and Japan that would condemn North Korea’s rights violations and again encourage the U.N. Security Council to refer the country to the war crimes tribunal.
North Korean Ambassador-at-large Ri Hung Sik told a news conference Tuesday that the government invited High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein to Pyongyang to follow up on his office’s interest in “technical cooperation.” He said contacts were under way on the details and timing of the visit.
Zeid’s spokesman, Andre-Michel Essoungou, says that in September the high commissioner for human rights welcomed an invitation from North Korea’s foreign minister to visit the country. He said discussions were continuing to prepare the ground work for a possible visit to engage North Korea on a “human rights dialogue.”
Essoungou said it would be a first by a U.N. human rights chief.
The resolution was expected to be voted on this week. Edith M. Lederer, United Nations, AP