South Korea's ambassador for North Korean human rights held talks on rights violations with European Union(EU) officials, academics and think tank experts during a three-day trip to Brussels.

The foreign ministry said on Friday that Ambassador Lee Shin-wha conveyed Seoul's commitment to cooperate with the international community on the matter during Wednesday's meeting with Eamon Gilmore, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights.

Emphasizing that human rights is a central part of the EU's foreign policy, Gilmore welcomed Seoul's active participation in discussions on North Korea's human rights.

Lee also met with Lukas Mandl, the chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Korean Peninsula, as well as Francesca Donato, a member of the parliamentary subcommittee on human rights.

Noting the European Parliament's passage in April of a resolution on the North's human rights, including the persecution of religious minorities, the South Korean envoy expressed a desire to revitalize related discussions within Europe.

At a forum on Korean Peninsula issues on Thursday, Lee called for expanded cooperation between governments, civilians and academics from South Korea and the EU to uphold human rights in North Korea.