Pyongyang has refused to participate in the Monday, December 22 UN Security Council meeting, which is set to discuss the DPRK's human rights issues, and accused the UN of maintaining double standards; China may block any resolution against North Korea.

MOSCOW, December 22 (Sputnik), Ekaterina Blinova — North Korea has refused to take part in a UN Security Council meeting set for Monday, December 22, which will address the DPRK's human rights issues. The 'hermit kingdom' has reproached the UN for maintaining double standards.

"Instead of a showdown, North Korea says it will not attend Monday's meeting. It accuses the United States and its allies of using the human rights issue as a weapon to overthrow the leadership of the impoverished but nuclear-armed nation," the Associated Press reported.

According to AP, the UN Security Council is most likely to raise the question regarding North Korea's human rights abuse in the International Criminal Court, since the situation "[threatens] to have a destabilizing impact on the region."

Although an official investigation has not yet been conducted in North Korea, the Security Council alleged that Pyongyang harshly suppresses its opposition in political prison camps, which are estimated to hold almost 120,000 detainees.

Pyongyang has repeatedly dismissed the accusations, insisting that evidence has been fabricated.

"The so-called 'human rights issue' in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is politically fabricated and, therefore, it is not at all relevant to regional or international peace and security," North Korea’s UN ambassador, Ja Song-nam, claimed as quoted by the Guardian.

Referring to the CIA Torture Report about the inhuman interrogation techniques being practiced by American security forces in their worldwide prison network which was released by the US Senate Intelligence Committee earlier this month, North Korea's ambassador pointed out that the United Nations was evidently turning a blind eye to US atrocities and human rights abuses.

On the contrary, the recently revealed CIA torture crimes committed by the United States, which have been conducted worldwide in the most brutal medieval forms, are the gravest human rights violations in the world," Ja Song-nam stressed, urging the UN to conduct "a thorough probe into the CIA torture crimes."

Meanwhile on Friday, December 19, the Obama Administration blamed Pyongyang for a hacker attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, labeling it an "act of cybervandalism," amid growing international pressure on the DPRK. The US President said he has considered putting North Korea on its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Remarkably, China hasn't condemned North Korea for hacking Sony hacking due to a lack of evidence. However, Beijing said it strongly opposed any cyber attacks launched by nations or individuals, CBS News reported.

The Associated Press points out that China may also block the UN Security Council's resolution against its longstanding "troublesome" ally.