U.S. Withholds Support for North Korea Human Rights Debate at UN

  • American allies sought debate near Kim Jong Un’s ‘deadline’
  • UN envoy Craft said U.S. is concerned about human rights

Kim Jong Un

Photographer: Jorge Silva/Reuters/Bloomberg

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The U.S. is withholding its support from hosting a human rights debate on North Korea next week during its turn leading the United Nations Security Council, according to several diplomats familiar with the discussions.

U.S. allies, including Germany and the U.K., have sought to hold such a meeting on Dec. 10, but they would need U.S. backing to do so. The U.S. told the allies on Friday it wouldn’t be supporting the effort, meaning the meeting won’t have enough votes to go ahead, according to the diplomats, who asked not to be identified discussing private talks.