West spotlights North Korea rights abuses at UN meeting; China opposes

FILE – A North Korean flag flutters in North Korea’s village Gijungdong as seen from an South Korea’s observation post inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea during a media tour, March 3, 2023. The United States, its Western allies and experts shone a spotlight on the dire human rights situation and increasing repression in North Korea at a U.N. meeting Friday, March17, 2023 that China and Russia denounced as a politicized move likely to escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula. (Jeon Heon-Kyun/Pool Photo via AP, File)JEON HEON-KYUN/POOL/The Associated Press The United States, its Western allies and experts shone…