Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Adoption of the Resolution on the Situation of Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the Third Committee, United Nations General Assembly

November 18, 2005

On November 17 (Thu) (local time), the resolution on the "Situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)" was approved by a majority of 84 in favor for the first vote at the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The draft resolution had been proposed by the EU together with Japan as one of the cosponsoring countries.
The Government of Japan highly estimates that the approval of the resolution at the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, referring explicitly to the abduction issue, shows an expression of serious concern by the majority will of the international community over the situation of human rights in the DPRK, including the abduction issue, and strongly urges its improvement.
Japan strongly hopes that North Korea will seriously accept the message of the international community shown in the resolution and take sincere action toward improving the situation of human rights including the resolution of the abduction issue and the acceptance of visit by the UN Special Rapporteur.

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