The International Criminal Court, said Monday that it would not investigate two incidents of North Korean forces attacking South Korean territory, because neither attack had intentionally targeted civilians, reports Reuters.
Although North Korea has not ratified the Rome statute, its attack on an ICC member country like South Korea, can still give the court jurisdiction to investigate potential war crimes committed by North Korea.
The Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, commenting on a preliminary investigation into the North Korean attacks, said she had no means to proceed with the case because the vessel that North Korea targeted was a legitimate military target.
“Even though the shelling resulted, regrettably, in civilian casualties, the information available does not provide a reasonable basis to believe that the attack was intentionally directed against civilian objects,” said Fatou Bensouda.
Bensouda said that the preliminary investigation conducted using information submitted by governments, individuals and non-governmental organisations, without the cooperation of North Korea.
Although North Korea has not ratified the Rome statute, its attack on an ICC member country like South Korea, can still give the court jurisdiction to investigate potential war crimes committed by North Korea.
The Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, commenting on a preliminary investigation into the North Korean attacks, said she had no means to proceed with the case because the vessel that North Korea targeted was a legitimate military target.
“Even though the shelling resulted, regrettably, in civilian casualties, the information available does not provide a reasonable basis to believe that the attack was intentionally directed against civilian objects,” said Fatou Bensouda.
Bensouda said that the preliminary investigation conducted using information submitted by governments, individuals and non-governmental organisations, without the cooperation of North Korea.