The United Nations announced the appointment of Vitit...

The United Nations announced the appointment of Vitit Muntarbhorn, professor of international and humanitarian law at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in North Korea including reported torture, public executions, arbitrary detention and forced labour. North Korea had threatened to leave the UN rights commission in April 2004 when the 53-member agency passed a resolution requesting the appointment of a special rapporteur to speak directly to its government about human rights. The resolution, submitted by the European Union and backed by the United States, expressed concern over allegations of torture, public executions, forced abortions and prison camps in North Korea. It was passed by a majority of 29 for, eight against, and 16 abstentions.