Despite its vehement opposition, China has failed to stop the United Nations (UN) Security Council from discussing North Korea's unrestrained human rights violations during its third meeting on the issue on Friday.

A high-ranking senior official of the UN said there are "appalling human rights violations" in Pyongyang despite China's repeated attempts to prevent the members from taking up the issue.

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China's ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi said the UN was not in the position to discuss the human rights abuses being perpetrated by Pyongyang leader Kim Jong-un.

Undivided attention

Liu said the UN was not the right forum to bring up North Korea's human rights violations saying the Council's  responsibility was to focus on issues and problems confronting international peace and stability.

"Given the current context, where a plethora of dire challenges are confronting international peace and security, the council should scrupulously honor its responsibility and focus on issues concerning international peace and security with undivided attention," Liu told the 15-member council.

Liu had earlier appealed to the Security Council to take on measures that would be more helpful in easing the tensions on the Korean Peninsula and not further escalate the situation by discussing North Korea's human rights record.

Human rights situation

Liu's  appeal was made days ahead of the Security Council meeting. He said that China opposes the "aberrations" by the UN to discuss North Korea's human rights situation.

The ambassador said the UN Charter clearly stipulates that the main responsibility of the body is to address issues concerning international peace and security and ensure the protection of nations from destabilizing factors.

He said that the meeting ran contrary to the UN Charter and proved to be detrimental to the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

"We do not allow the Peninsula to be torn by turmoil or war under any circumstances," he said.

Under fire

North Korea has been under fire in recent years for its human rights abuses with the US blacklisting Pyongyang leader Kim Jong-un for carrying out human rights violations.

A landmark UN report released in 2014 concluded that Kim and his security and military officials had committed Nazi-style abuses and that they should be brought to justice.

The UN Security Council last month imposed new and harsh sanctions on North Korea aimed at slashing its coal exports to China by more than 60 percent in response to Pyongyang's latest nuclear test on September 9.

North Korea has denounced the sanctions saying it is an "abuse of power" and vowed to will retaliate. 

TagsNorth Korea, UN Security Council, human rights abuses, international peace and stability, Chinese ambassador Liu Jieyi, Kim Jong Un