The United Nations Committee Against Torture has once again urged South Korea to abolish the death penalty, provide redress for victims of past injustices, and amend or repeal the National Security Law.
In response, Song Doo Hwan, the chair of the National Human Rights Commission, expressed regret over the repeated criticisms and called on the government to actively implement these recommendations.
On the 30th, Song stated in a press release that the Committee Against Torture had demanded specific improvements to protect the rights of detainees in custodial facilities and victims of state violence. He emphasized that issues such as abolishing the statute of limitations for torture crimes, abolishing the death penalty, improving overcrowding in detention facilities, amending or repealing the National Security Law, and providing effective redress for victims of past injustices have been repeatedly recommended by other international human rights bodies and the Human Rights Commission.
He added that it was deplorable that, despite numerous recommendations from the international community, the same criticisms on unresolved human rights issues continued to be received. He emphasized that the National Human Rights Commission strongly urges the government to implement the recommendations of the Committee Against Torture actively.
On the 26th, the UN Committee Against Torture released its final observations on South Korea’s sixth national report on the implementation of the Convention Against Torture.
The report included recommendations on 46 key issues, such as abolishing the statute of limitations for torture crimes, addressing overcrowding in detention facilities, eliminating the death penalty, amending or repealing the National Security Law, conducting independent investigations into military deaths, preventing involuntary hospitalization in mental health facilities, improving the immigration detention system, prohibiting the detention of children, compensating victims of past injustices, and ensuring effective redress and compensation for comfort women victims.
The UN Convention Against Torture, which South Korea joined in 1995, is a core international human rights treaty designed to prevent torture, abuse, and inhumane treatment.