Despite facing U.N. sanctions on its nuclear weapons program, North Korea received news this Tuesday that its ambassador So Se Pyong was appointed president of the U.N. Conference on Disarmament. Known as the “single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community,” the Conference on Disarmament appoints presidents on a rotating basis.

UNOG reports that the appointment came with the support of Canada, the U.K., Iran, China, and India. Many, however, are hoping that the United States and the European Union will protest the appointment, including human rights groups. Hillel Neuer, the executive director of U.N. Watch, also lashed out against the appointment: “It’s asking the fox to guard the chickens, and damages the U.N.’s credibility.”

[Photo: Ahn Young Joon/AFP]