SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea called the UN’s top expert on the country’s human rights “a puppet” of the United States, warning Friday that it won’t tolerate an American-led plot to use the rights issue to threaten its political system.
North Korea’s comments come as Elizabeth Salmón, the U.N. special rapporteur on the North’s human rights, is making her first visit to South Korea this week to meet officials, activists and North Korean defectors since her appointment last month.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused Salmón of displaying “ignorance and biased vision” on the North. It also accused Washington of being behind Salmón’s mandate as part of an anti-North Korea scheme.
It repeated its earlier position that it will never recognize or deal with any UN special rapporteur on its human rights. Salmón’s predecessors were denied access to North Korea, which observers say has made it difficult for them to gather independent and credible information on rights abuses.
During a news conference in Seoul on Friday, Salmón said she was “fully aware that the lack of cooperation in that country is a challenge, no doubts about it.”