North Korea defends human rights record ahead of U.N. meeting

SEOUL, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- North Korea slammed the United Nations for its plans to discuss Pyongyang's human rights record, but lawmakers in Seoul are moving forward with a comprehensive North Korea human rights bill.

A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said on KCNA on Thursday, "Hostile powers are planning to have a go at criticizing [North Korea] during the 30th regular session of the Human Rights Council," and that it is a "political maneuver aimed at overthrowing our regime," Yonhap reported.

The U.N. plans to discuss North Korea human rights on Sept. 21, and the council session is to take place between Sept. 14 and Oct. 2.

Pyongyang said in a statement the United States is targeting North Korea for its human rights record after reaching a nuclear deal with Iran, and that Japan's plan to participate in the council disrupts efforts to resolve issues between Pyongyang and Tokyo.

North Korea denounced the method used to bring charges against Pyongyang, saying, "The evidence is nothing more than lies from North Korean defectors, whose testimonies cannot be corroborated."

The Foreign Ministry spokesman said North Korea guarantees "true freedom and rights" to its people, but defectors in South Korea have refuted such claims.

South Korean news site Oh My News reported lawmakers in Seoul were pressing on with the passage of the North Korea Human Rights Act on Thursday. Opposition lawmakers said they were willing to work with the ruling party on the bill, but on the condition that it should substantially help improve human rights in North Korea while not aggravating North-South relations.