South Korea called on North Korea on Thursday to stop its serious human rights violations after the North rebuked the South's parliament for working toward passing a bill to improve the dismal situation.
  

North Korea's committee for the peaceful reunification slammed South Korea's ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday for seeking to pass the bill. The North called the South's move "an outrageous politically motivated provocation and undisguised declaration of confrontation."
  

The Unification Ministry said that the protection of human rights is a universal value of mankind and urged the North to stop its serious violations.
  

"North Korea should not condemn South Korea for its determination to improve the North's human rights. The North should make practical efforts to improve its situation," said a ministry official, asking not to be named.
 
 
South Korea's ruling and opposition parties are seeking to pass the bill during the current parliamentary session.
  

The bill, introduced in August 2005, has been languishing in the National Assembly, apparently out of concern its passage could have a negative impact on inter-Korean relations.
  

It calls for efforts to enhance the human rights conditions in the North and to set principles for humanitarian support, as well as to create funds to promote the North's rights issue.
  

North Korea has long been regarded as one of the worst human rights violators. Pyongyang has bristled at such criticism, calling it a U.S.-led threat to its regime. (Yonhap)