A UN council is expected to adopt a resolution condemning the dismal human rights situation in North Korea this week, the foreign ministry here said Thursday.

The UN Human Rights Council is to convene a meeting in Geneva to adopt the resolution either on Thursday or Friday (local time), according to foreign ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck.

Cho noted that the UNHRC has adopted a resolution on the North's human rights since 2003 and, in particular, since 2014 it has reflected recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry's report with greater emphasis on holding human rights violators accountable.

The spokesman added that the Seoul government has "actively" engaged in the process of drafting this year's resolution, sharing international concerns over the "systemic" and "widespread" violations of human rights taking place in the North.

North Korea has long been labeled one of the world's worst human rights violators. The communist regime does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps and keeps tight control over outside information.

But the North has bristled at such criticism, calling it a US-led attempt to topple its regime. (Yonhap)