World powers ignoring North Korea crimes against humanity amid nuclear programme focus: U.N. expert

FILE PHOTO: A soldier stands guard at a checkpoint on the Grand Unification Bridge which leads to the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea, just south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea, June 17, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

GENEVA (Reuters) - World powers bear responsibility for ignoring crimes against humanity that may still be perpetrated by authorities in North Korea amid a focus on its nuclear programme, a U.N. human rights investigator said on Wednesday.

Tomas Ojea-Quintana urged the U.N. Security Council to refer grave violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the International Criminal Court for prosecution.