Seoul, Mar 23 (IANS): The UN Human Rights Council is expected to adopt this week a resolution condemning the "dismal" human rights situation in North Korea, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is to convene a meeting in Geneva to adopt the resolution either on Thursday or Friday, according to 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, Yonhap News Agency reported.

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 labelled as one of the world's worst human rights violators.

The country does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps, and keeps tight control over outside information.

But North Korea has slammed the criticism, calling it a US-led attempt to topple its regime.