[JURIST] UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [official website] on Saturday called on [statement] North Korea’s government to stop violating international obligations after a missile launch conducted by the country. The launch, which the statement calls “deplorable,” violates “relevant Security Council resolutions” according to Ban. He further reiterated his call on the country to “halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations,” while reaffirming his commitment to reduce tensions and help create the “verifiable denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula. The launch was also condemned [UN News Centre report] on Sunday by members of the UN Security Council [official website] following an emergency meeting, where members restated their intent to develop significant new sanctions against the country. The launch on Saturday used “ballistic military technology,” and has been called destabilizing and provocative action.

The recent nuclear test in North Korea is cause for international concern due to the country’s human rights record and instability. In January the US House of Representatives approved [JURIST report] legislation that would increase sanctions against North Korea for its continuation of nuclear testing. In November Japan and the EU circulated [JURIST report] a draft UN resolution condemning North Korea’s human rights abuses and encouraging the UN Security Council to refer the country to the International Criminal Court [official website], noting reports of torture, limits on freedom of mobility, restrictions on freedom of speech, restrictions on freedom of religion, privacy infringement, arbitrary imprisonment, prison camps and more. UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea Marzuki Darusman expressed deep concerns [JURIST report] regarding human rights violations in the country just a month earlier. In November 2014 Darusman said that there is enough evidence to hold Kim Jong-un responsible for “massive” human rights atrocities [JURIST report] committed in the country. In response to these concerns, the UN in June opened a new office [JURIST report] in Seoul to specifically monitor human rights in North Korea.