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North Korea has yet to give its usual formal announcement five days after the release of two US detainees on Nov. 8.

There could be changes or softening to the content of an upcoming United Nations human rights resolution, which some see as a short-term barometer for relations between Pyongyang and Washington.

North Korea’s failure to make an immediate statement in its official media on the release of Kenneth Bae, 46, and Matthew Miller, 25, is unusual. In past cases of US detainee releases, reports typically were issued the same or following day by the Korea Central News Agency or other state media. The Oct. 21 release of Jeffrey Edward Fowle was reported the next day, while a report was issued the same day when Merrill Newman was expelled in Dec. 2013. Same-day reports were also given for the 2011 release of Eddie Yong-su Jun and the 2010 release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes.

There are varying analyses of North Korea’s prolonged silence.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute, said Pyongyang may be having trouble explaining the release of two US detainees who had been sentenced to prison time for hostile acts against the state.

“In some sense, this latest release was a capitulation to US pressure on the human rights front,” said Cheong. “It looks as though authorities in Pyongyang may be having a tough time explaining it to the North Korean public.”

Dongguk University professor Koh Yu-hwan said the two sides did not appear to both have a release as their goal.

“There could be an outcry if [North Korea] reports the details of the release, and it could lose its leverage value in improving relations,” Koh explained. “I don’t expect [North Korea] to talk about it any time soon.”

Meanwhile, a UN General Assembly resolution referring the North Korean human rights situation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to be adopted by the Third Committee for human rights as early as next week.

“The UN human rights resolution was presented to the Third Committee by 50 co-sponsor countries, including members from the European Union, the US, and Japan, and we expect it to be adopted by the committee some time between Nov. 17 and 26,” said a UN source on condition of anonymity.

“Nov. 18 is looking very likely,” the source added.

But the possibility of a revised version of the resolution, omitting or amending parts Pyongyang objects to, is not being ruled out.

When the detainees were first released, many suggested the move could be connected to the resolution. China is also reported to have played a role in the decision. These factors have some suggesting Beijing, which does not feel the same political pressures against revising the resolution as Washington, could spearhead the effort to make changes to the content.

By Choi Hyun-june, staff reporter and Park Hyun, Washington correspondent

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