China and Russia failed to remove the human rights discussion on North Korea's situation from the United Nations (UN) Security Council agenda on Thursday.

While China and Russia voted against conducting the session, nine UN Security Council members agreed to let the discussion commence. The U.S., Britain, Chile, Jordan, France, Lithuania, Malaysia, Spain, and New Zealand all voted for a green light on the human rights discussion on the situation in North Korea, according to Anadolou Agency (AA).

Like Us on Facebook

Aside from Russia and China, Angola and Venezuela also opposed the human rights discussion. Nigeria and Chad, on the other hand, did not take part in the procedural vote in which nine votes are needed to win, the report details.

The meeting on Thursday marked the second time that the council met on the issue. Last year, the council decided to convene regarding the situation in North Korea.

UN Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein recommended referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court because of its alleged human rights violations. He said the violations threaten the world's peace and security, the report relays.

Wang Min, China's deputy permanent envoy to the UN, acknowledged the council's responsibility to maintain peace and security, but it is not proper for the Security Council to involve itself in human rights issues, Xinhua News reports.

"Human rights situation in the DPRK does not constitute a threat to international peace and security and China opposes putting the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by the Security Council on its provisional agenda," Xinhua quotes Wang's statement.

Wang explained that the situation in North Korea is complicated and all involved parties should focus on lifting tensions, establishing trust, and facilitating dialogues. He cited China's efforts to promote peace talks and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. The Chinese envoy also urged all parties to participate in the move to establish peace and stability in the region.

TagsRussia, Human Rights, North Korea