UN chief says North Korea has increased repression of rights

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. chief says in a new report that North Korea has increased its repression of the rights and freedoms of its people and the U.N. Security Council should consider referring the country to the International Criminal Court for possible crimes against humanity. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the report circulated Thursday that there has been no progress in ensuring accountability for human rights violations in the reclusive north Asian country. It cited U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet’s report in March suggesting “reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity had been committed … and may be ongoing.”