President Park Geun-hye called on North Korea on Tuesday to address its dismal human rights record as she proposed a series of projects meant to lay the groundwork for potential unification with North Korea.

"The issue of North Korea's human rights must be improved to not only protect the universal values of mankind but for the future of a unified Korea," Park said in a meeting of a blue-ribbon committee established to make preparations for reunification.

North Korea's human rights record has emerged as a major issue in the international community since a U.N. General Assembly committee passed a resolution calling for the referral of the country's human rights violations to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring to justice those responsible for crimes against humanity.

The referral of North Korea to the ICC is only possible with the endorsement of the Security Council.

The chances of a referral are slim because U.N. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, and the U.N. Security Council is unlikely to approve the resolution as China and Russia, two of the five permanent, veto-wielding members of the council, are likely to oppose it.

North Korea has flatly denied accusations of rights abuses, describing them as a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime. North Korea has also claimed it has the world's most advantageous human rights system and policies.

Park has made repeated pitches for unification in recent months, calling it a "bonanza" for South Korea as well as a blessing for neighboring countries.

Park also expressed confidence that the two Koreas can improve their relations if South Korea makes consistent efforts to induce positive changes in North Korea.

Tensions persist on the divided peninsula over anti-Pyongyang leaflets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

North Korean defectors in South Korea regularly send leaflets to their homeland to try to encourage North Koreans to rise up against Kim, a move that has drawn fierce protest from the communist country.

Park called on the presidential committee on reunification to boost civic exchange and cooperation between the two Koreas.

She also proposed that the two Koreas can cooperate in forestation and exchange seeds.

North Korea has destroyed forests about 18 times the size of Manhattan for more than 10 years, according to data from Global Forest Watch, which is run by the Washington-based World Resources Institute.

Also Tuesday, Chung Chong-wook, deputy head of the committee, said in the meeting that he plans to draft a unification charter by the end of this year and hold a public hearing in the first half of next year.

South Korea has said unification would provide the Korean people with a springboard to prosperity by marrying South Korea's capital and technology with North Korea's rich natural resources.

However, North Korea has long suspected that Seoul could be plotting to absorb Pyongyang, a claim denied by South Korea. (Yonhap)