North Korea says it's asked EU's top human rights official to visit, but warns on other offers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014 photo, Kim Un Chol, a spokesman for North Korea, attends a panel discussion at United Nations headquarters. On Thursday, Oct. 30, 2014, North Korea said it has invited the European Union’s top human rights official to visit, but it threatened to drop its offers of visits by United Nations rights officials if a U.N. resolution on the country doesn’t remove a reference to the International Criminal Court before Saturday. Kim said the visit by the EU official, Stavros Lambrinidis, is expected in March 2015. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (The Associated Press)
North Korea is threatening to drop its offers of visits by United Nations human rights officials if a U.N. resolution on the country doesn't remove a reference to the International Criminal Court before Saturday.
But Pyongyang's invitation to the European Union's top rights official has been sent and will stand. North Korean spokesman Kim Un Chol said the visit by the EU official, Stavros Lambrinidis, is expected next March.
The European Union's mission to the U.N. was not immediately available for comment Thursday evening. An EU official in Brussels earlier confirmed a recent North Korea meeting with Lambrinidis.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A U.N. commission of inquiry early this year detailed vast rights abuses and warned leader Kim Jong Un he could be held accountable. The new EU-Japan resolution echoes its recommendations.