A United Nations committee on Tuesday endorsed a Japan- and European Union-led resolution that takes aim at North Korea's human rights violations against its citizens.

"The human rights situation in the DPRK continues to be of great concern," according to a joint Japan-EU statement read by a representative prior to the resolution's adoption. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is the country's official name.

"Serious violations of human rights are committed in a widespread and systematic way, with disregard for international law, and they are too often overlooked due to the headline-grabbing missile and nuclear issue," the statement said.