UN commission leader would be ‘happy’ to talk to NKorea

United Nations (shutterstock)

WASHINGTON — The leader of a U.N. commission that found North Korea committed crimes against humanity says panel members are ready to go anywhere to talk to the North’s government — but it refuses to engage.

Michael Kirby was addressing a conference in Washington Tuesday marking the anniversary of the publication of the commission’s landmark report. It called for North Korea to be referred to the International Criminal Court.

North Korea on Monday demanded that the conference be scrapped, claiming the U.S. ignored its offer to attend and defend itself.

Kirby said he would be “quite happy” if the North Koreans were at the conference. He said the commission “tried in every way” to engage Pyongyang, but it was only prepared to do so on “very limited terms favorable to them.”