The passage of a U.N. draft resolution referring North Korea’s human rights record to the International Criminal Court would have limited impact on inter-Korean relations as the rights issue is now one of universal values, analysts said Wednesday.

With the ICC referral deemed impossible, Pyongyang may also refrain from taking aggressive action in response to the passage, as it pushes to improve its strained relations with the outside world to help its economy, they said.

“The impact of the resolution would not be that serious given that the resolution has routinely been adopted annually (since 2005),” said Koh Yoo-hwan, a North Korea expert at Dongguk University.

“Although ICC referral was mentioned for the first time, the U.N. Security Council will not be able to approve it as the veto-wielding powers, China and Russia, remain opposed to it. But of course, the North may think that mentioning the ICC has hurt its image anyway.”

On Tuesday, a U.N. committee in charge of human rights affairs voted in favor of the resolution highlighting the North’s woeful record. The resolution is to be voted at the General Assembly for final adoption in December.

Seoul welcomed the committee’s passage, underscoring the universality of human rights. 

Before the U.N. committee passed the resolution, the North made a flurry of diplomatic efforts to block the mention of ICC referral. It has denied international accusations, issued its own human rights report and sent senior officials to Europe and the U.N. to defend its human rights position.

“The resolution is full of groundless criticisms about the North. If it is passed it would lead to a serious consequence,” said Choe Myong-nam, the North’s official in charge of U.N. affairs and human rights.

“We oppose the resolution as it shows that there is no need for the North to engage in any talks with the international community.”

Huh Moon-young, a senior fellow at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification, said that as the human rights issue was not just a bilateral matter, Seoul’s approval of the motion would not seriously damage their relations.

“The North Korean human rights issue is no longer just an inter-Korean issue. It goes well beyond that. It concerns human dignity and it was right for Seoul to agree to that draft resolution,” he said.

“The two Koreas may seek a turnaround in their bilateral ties as next year marks the 70th year since they were divided, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may feel the increasing need to achieve some economic outcomes three years after he took power.”

Although the draft resolution does not mention the name of the North Korean leader, the mention of ICC referral is seen as a big step forward in international efforts to curb human rights abuses in the isolated state.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)