After nearly a year of unprecedented attention given to allegations of widespread abuse and torture within North Korea , one question is being repeatedly asked : When will the international community do anything about it ? On Tuesday , a United Nations General Assembly committee is expected to consider a draft resolution on North Korea 's human rights abuses . The vote is merely a recommendation , as the General Assembly does not have the power to refer the regime or its young leader Kim Jong Un to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity ( ICC ) . That authority lies only with the U.N. Security Council , a 15-member body charged with maintaining global security . But the five permanent members at the core of the Security Council , including China and Russia , wield veto powers . China is likely to use its veto as its officials have repeatedly called efforts to send North Korea 's leadership to the ICC as `` not helpful . '' Here 's a reminder of where we are so far . 1 . What the draft resolution states . The draft resolution , which was presented by the European Union and Japan , contains strong language against North Korea and encourages others to push the country toward the ICC and issue `` targeted sanctions . '' This follows the recommendations from a scathing U.N. Commission of Inquiry report on North Korea published earlier this year . `` We know the U.N. and nations of the world are much more galvanized than they were last year , or any other point in history , to address North Korea 's systematic human rights abuses , '' said Sung-Yoon Lee , a professor of Korean studies at Tufts University . Murder , torture , slavery , sexual violence , mass starvation -- North Korea 's leaders have been accused of employing all sorts of abuses to prop up the isolated regime and exercise total control over its citizens . 2 . North Korea denies , denounces . North Korea has repeatedly denied the existence of human rights atrocities , denouncing the credibility of those who testified in the Commission of Inquiry . It has repeatedly claimed that the United States and its allies are seeking to discredit and overthrow the leadership in North Korea . 3 . Does the GA vote even matter ? Since the power lies with the Security Council -- and China is likely to veto any attempts to refer North Korea to the international court -- what 's the significance of the vote ? `` Even from a strictly utilitarian viewpoint , a U.N. vote would likely make a positive difference , '' Lee said . `` The international community would be better positioned to further build its case against the DPRK . '' While Lee said that North Korea 's leadership is probably not rattled , it is `` sensitive to the growing criticism . '' And such `` sustained pressure '' is much more effective than `` indifference or moral persuasion alone , '' he said . 4 . The China veto . Throughout the year , Chinese officials have reiterated that submitting human rights cases to the ICC `` wo n't help improve a country 's human rights condition . '' North Korea 's longtime ally has never wavered in its support for Pyongyang -- even during bumps in their relationship . In May , Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have asked the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes in Syria . They were the only two of 15 countries to vote against the resolution . If China has to use its veto powers to defend North Korea against the collective international will , there are effects , said Lee . `` High-profile actions at the U.N. that pit China and the DPRK on one side against the 'civilized ' nations of the world on the other have implications on how states and multinational corporations conduct trade and business with the DPRK , '' he said . `` Divestiture was a powerful tool the world used against South Africa 's apartheid regime . Likewise , deterring European states and companies from selling North Korea luxury goods in violation of several UNSC resolutions can only put pressure on the Kim regime . '' 5 . What the U.S. wants . The U.S. backs the resolution to sanction and refer North Korea to the ICC . Despite the gesture made by North Korea last week to release the last remaining two Americans -- Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller -- detained in the country , it has not altered the United State 's stance on the country 's human rights . `` Nothing has changed about our concerns about North Korea 's human record -- abysmal human rights record , '' said Jen Psaki , U.S. State Department spokeswoman . `` Those issues remain ones that we will continue to work with the international community on . ''
the International Criminal Court committee considers resolution on European human rights . Security Council has the power to refer to Security Council . North Korea does not support referring China to the ICC for human rights abuses . Follows allegations of widespread abuses inside the isolated country .