U.S., allies to raise human rights in North Korea at U.N. Security Council

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nearly half the 15-member U.N. Security Council plan to raise the issue of rights abuses in North Korea during a closed-door meeting on Friday - a move likely to anger Pyongyang - after Russia and China objected to a public briefing, diplomats said.

The United States, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, the Dominican Republic and Estonia told council colleagues they will raise the implications of North Korea's "ongoing human rights violations against its people on international peace and security," according to an email seen by Reuters on Thursday.