North Korean leaders to be tried at ICC

On February 17, the Commission of Inquiry into North Korea, established by the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2013, determined that the North Korean leadership should be brought to trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for a series of crimes against humanity, including the crimes of extermination, starvation and enslavement.

In the report, the committee also strongly condemned North Korea's denial of basic freedoms of thought, speech and religion, as well as its abduction of South Korean and Japanese citizens.

"The blatant, widespread and systematic human rights violations committed by the DPRK, its agencies and officials... The severity, scale and nature of these violations represent a state 'unique' in the contemporary world," the report said.

The report outlines options including the UN Security Council referring North Korea to the ICC or setting up a special court.

On the same day, the US welcomed the report, saying it "clearly documents the brutal nature" of North Korea's abuses.

Meanwhile, China strongly opposes the option of referring North Korea to the ICC because this action "does not help resolve the human rights situation" and the solution must be "constructive dialogue."

Speaking to reporters in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said: "I have not seen the report with my own eyes, but our position on this issue is very clear, issues related to human rights should be resolved through constructive dialogue on the basis of equality. Referring this report to the ICC will not help resolve the human rights situation in a country."

The move is the culmination of a year-long investigation by the committee into Pyongyang's human rights record.

According to Vietnamplus