Michael Kirby a “disgusting old lecher”: North Korea

NORTH Korea state media has launched an anti-gay attack on former High Court judge Michael Kirby, who is now the current chairperson of a UN agency that published a report criticising human rights in the isolated communist nation.

Openly-gay Kirby, who chairs the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into Human Rights in North Korea, was labelled a “disgusting old lecher with a 40-odd-year-long career of homosexuality” by the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

Last week, Kirby made a presentation to the Security Council where he advised the committee to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for specific persecution of government officials.

The attacks made on Kirby by the government-controlled KCNA appear to be in direct response to his recommendations.

The news agency added that as a homosexual it was “ridiculous” that Kirby was responsible for investigating human rights abuses.

“It is ridiculous for such gays to sponsor dealing with others’ human rights issue,” it said.

Earlier this year, the COI published an extensive report condemning Kim Jong-un’s regime.

After claiming that Kirby had fabricated the UN report, the KCNA then personally attacked the former justice’s relationship with his partner of 40 years.

“He is now over 70, but he is still anxious to get married to his homosexual partner,” it said, referring to Johan van Vloten.

Oliver Hotham, a journalist for NK News — a media outlet dedicated to covering the rouge state —  said last week that he was not surprised that KCNA attempted to use Kirby’s sexuality to discredit him.

”North Korea has a history of being disapproving of homosexuality — something the USSR used to do as well,” he said.

According to NK News, the KCNA’s stance on Kirby is the first time it has used someone’s sexuality in an attempt to discredit them and the first time it had ever directly referred to homosexuality.

The Star Observer has contacted Kirby’s Sydney offices for comment.