Faith groups concerned about North Korean leadership of UN group

Geneva, August 3 (ENInews)--Christian advocacy groups are among a
28-strong international coalition calling for North Korea, criticized by many for
its human rights abuses and nuclear threats, to step down from the
presidency of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (UNCD).

For North Korea--"the undisputed home of international arms control"
according to UN chief Ban Ki-Moon--to lead the group is terribly wrong, said the
Christian groups in a statement.

Faith groups backing the initiative include Norwegian Church Aid;
International Christian Concern (ICC), a Washington D.C.-based human rights
watchdog; and Jubilee Campaign USA, which advocates for Christians worldwide. A
number of these groups are concerned about the treatment of Christians in
North Korea. On its website, ICC claims they "face regular harassment by
authorities and can be arrested or imprisoned for even owning a bible."