The recent loss of South Korea’s bid for reelection to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has prompted a wave of contentious debates and criticism in the country’s local media. In particular, it was the first time since the establishment of the Council in 2006 that South Korea lost its reelection.
The announcement was made at the U.N. General Assembly on Oct. 11 that South Korea was one place short of securing its reelection with 123 votes, coming in fifth behind Bangladesh (160), the Maldives (154), Vietnam (145), and Kyrgyzstan (126).
The UNHRC holds an election every year for about one-third of the seats in the 47-member Council, and there were four seats available for eight candidates from the Asia-Pacific region this year….