HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ENDS VISIT TO REPUBLIC OF KOREA

16 September 2004

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour completed today an official visit to the Republic of Korea, welcoming moves to repeal the country’s National Security Law and urging authorities to formalize a moratorium on the death penalty.

The High Commissioner, who arrived in Seoul on 13 September, said national security must be protected in a way that respects human rights. Mrs. Arbour voiced a similar sentiment at the opening of the Seventh International Conference of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights on 14 September. The High Commissioner stressed the critical role national institutions can play in relation to countering terrorism and dealing with conflict. Over 50 national institutions, some 20 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and a number of Korean NGOs are taking part in that meeting, which is also addressing issues relating to women and migrants. In her statement, the High Commissioner underlined that the promotion of human rights is of value only to the extent to which it helps bring about the realization of those rights, calling on Conference participants to support the implementation of fundamental human rights standards in preventing conflict and when countering terrorism. “There must be no trade-off between human rights and counter-terrorism”, she said.

On 15 September, the High Commissioner opened a seminar on Good Governance Practices for the Promotion of Human Rights, which like the gathering of national institutions was organized by her office. Mrs. Arbour told participants that human rights needed a conducive and enabling environment, in particular appropriate regulations, institutions and procedures framing the action of the State. At the same time good governance policies should empower individuals to live with dignity and freedom. The two concepts of good governance and human rights were not only mutually reinforcing but also shared many of core principles, namely popular participation, accountability, transparency and State-responsibility, she added.

In Seoul the High Commissioner also met with the President of the Republic of Korea, Roh Moo-Hyun, and with Prime Minister Hae-Chan Lee. Talks were also held with the Speaker of the Korean Parliament, Won-Ki Kim, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ban Ki-Moon, the Vice Minister of Justice, Sang-Hee Kim, and the Minister of Court Administration, Yol-Son Ji. The topics covered included improvements in Korea in the human rights area as well as the work that remains to be done. The High Commissioner also discussed a variety of human rights concerns with Kim Chang-Kuk, President of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea.

In other meetings, Korean NGOs requested the High Commissioner to pay special attention to issues surrounding the National Security Law, conscientious objectors to military service, the situation of foreign migrant workers, victims of sexual slavery during the Second World War, violations of labour rights in the construction industry, and human rights issues raised by the advent of new technology.

At the end of her visit the High Commissioner strongly recommended that the Republic of Korea formalize a moratorium on application of the death penalty. There have been no executions in the country since 1998.