The nuclear standoff with North Korea has tended to overshadow the country's human rights abuses, including the abduction of Japanese nationals. It is fitting, therefore, that the U.N. Human Rights Commission has adopted a resolution condemning Pyongyang's human rights record.
North Korea is now ready to discuss the nuclear issue with the United States and China. It must also begin to address the human rights problem in earnest.
It is the first time that a U.N. agency has singled out North Korea for its human rights violations. For Japan, whose citizens were kidnapped by North Korean agents during the Cold War, it is highly significant that the abduction tragedy has been formally recognized by the Human Rights Commission. The resolution is not binding, but North Korea must take it seriously. The abduction issue remains a big thorn in the side of Japan-North Korea relations.