North Korea tries to stop US ‘plot’ to discuss human rights at UN Security Council

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UNITED NATIONS – North Korea is objecting to a push by the U.S. to discuss the human rights situation in North Korea at the U.N. Security Council, calling the move a “deceptive plot” by the Trump administration.

A letter to the Security Council, a copy of which was seen by Fox News, accused the U.S. of “conspiring behind the curtain” to invite High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to address the council next month about the human rights situation under the repressive North Korean regime.

“It undoubtedly constitutes a provocation to [North Korea], a dialogue counterpart as well as mockery to the international community,” said the letter, first reported on by The Associated Press.

“On top of it, it is a deceptive plot that the US entitles the agenda item as ‘Situation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’ while pursuing its ulterior motive to discuss ‘human rights issue’ of the DPRK,” the letter said.

The North Korean delegation’s letter calls on members to vote against having the meeting, currently scheduled for Dec. 10 in the Security Council chamber, and accuses the U.S. and other countries of using “all possible wicked and sinister methods” to make the meeting happen.

The letter claims that human rights matters should be considered in the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council instead.

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The U.S. withdrew from the Human Rights Council earlier this year, with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley calling it “a protector of human rights abusers and a cesspool of political bias.”

For the Security Council meeting to take place, a procedural vote will need to pick up the votes of nine members in favor. A Security Council diplomat told reporters that there are currently eight members in favor of the meeting, and was hopeful about the prospects of finding another.

The U.N. General Assembly’s human rights commission adopted a resolution condemning the regime’s "longstanding and ongoing systematic, widespread and gross violations of human rights.”

President Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June amid a thaw in relations between the U.S. and North Korea, but the relationship has remained an uncertain one, with the regime threatening this month to restart its nuclear weapons program if the U.S. doesn’t lift economic sanctions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.