* Rights committee voices concern over torture, prison camps
* North Korea says resolution is "political terrorism"
* China: Countries should worry about humanitarian aid
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 27 (Reuters) - A committee of the U.N.
General Assembly on Tuesday condemned North Korea for rampant
human rights violations, while an envoy of Pyongyang dismissed
the move as reflective of hostile U.S. policies.
The non-binding resolution was adopted by the 193-nation
assembly's Third Committee, which focuses on human rights.
It was officially passed by consensus without a vote, though
North Korea, China, Syria, Iran and other developing countries
made clear they rejected the conclusions of the resolution,
which was drafted by the European Union and co-sponsored by the
United States and a number of other Western states.
North Korean U.N. envoy Kim Song told the committee that the
resolution represented "interference in our internal affairs"
and constituted "an act of the state political terrorism."
Kim also denied that there were any rights violations in
North Korea.
"Human rights violations as mentioned in the draft
resolution cannot exist, and not only in legal and institutional
terms, but also in reality in our country," he said.
"Independent rights of our people are most valued."
The resolution voiced "very serious concern at the
persistence of continuing reports of systematic, widespread and
grave violations of civil, political, economic, social and
cultural rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(North Korea)."
It said such violations included torture, the existence of
prison camps and limitations on the freedom of movement of North
Korean citizens, including the punishment of those who attempt
to travel abroad.
Earlier this month U.N. special rapporteur on North Korea
Marzuki Darusman reiterated his concerns about rights violations
in the reclusive country. He said that North Korean prison camps
held between 150,000 and 200,000 prisoners.
The resolution will go to a formal vote in the General
Assembly next month, where it is expected to pass again. Such
assembly resolutions on the human right situations in North
Korea, Iran, Myanmar, and, since last year, Syria are an annual
ritual.
A delegate of China told the committee that it opposes
resolutions on individual nations' human rights records and
urged United Nations members to "pay more attention to
difficulties and challenges facing the DPRK (North Korea)" and
focus on humanitarian aid.
The Chinese delegate also urged "certain countries" not to
submit such resolutions in future.
North Korea is under U.N. Security Council sanctions for its
two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
(Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Jackie Frank)