SEOUL – United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai today commended the Republic of Korea’s “impressive achievements,” but underlined that its journey to democracy is not yet over. At the end of his first official visit to the country, Mr. Kiai warned that the democracy project is still being threatened by a decline on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. “The project of building democracy and human rights in South Korea is not over; indeed it never truly is, in any nation,” said the independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and promote the realization of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association worldwide. “What we have is a structure, and our solemn task as governments and citizens is to continually build upon that structure, strengthening the foundation and cultivating its resilience.” While the Special Rapporteur applauded the Government’s many human rights achievements, he also highlighted “a trend of gradual regression on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association – not a dramatic shutdown of these rights, but a slow, creeping inclination to degrade them.” Mr. Kiai said that undue restrictions are seeping into every stage of the peaceful assembly process in South Korea, despite... Continue reading →
Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai undertook an official mission to the Republic of Korea Jan. 20-29, 2016. The visit was carried out pursuant to his mandate to assess the situation of freedoms of peaceful assembly and association in the country. The Special Rapporteur concluded his visit by congratulating the Republic of Korea on its "arduous journey" from authoritarian rule to democracy, and noted its leading role in the promotion and protection of human rights at the international level. His was quick to caution, however, that "the project of building democracy and human rights in South Korea is not over; indeed it never truly is, in any nation." "What we have is a structure, and our solemn task as governments and citizens is to continually build upon that structure, strengthening the foundation, cultivating its resilience," the Special Rapporteur said during a press conference at the conclusion of his visit on Jan. 29, 2016. Every democratic country will inevitably face challenges, but what concerned the Special Rapporteur during his visit was how the Government of South Korea is addressing them. "I sense a trend of gradual regression on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association – not a dramatic shutdown of these rights, but a slow, creeping inclination to degrade... Continue reading →
(English) 서울 (2016년 1월29일)-공식방한을 초청해 주신 대한민국 정부에 감사드립니다. 이번 한국 방문이 특별보고관으로서 저의 첫번째 공식 아시아 방문이기도 합니다. 또한 한국 정부가 현재 구금 상태인 한상균 민주노총 위원장과의 면담을 포함하여 이번 방한 조사를 위해 큰 협조를 해 주신데 대해서도 감사드립니다. 저는 행정, 입법, 사법부 인사들을 만나뵙고 정보를 얻을 수 있었습니다. 일일이 열거하기가 힘들 정도로 많은 공무원들을 만났습니다. 비록 제가 수 차례 요청했던 정치 지도자들과의 면담은 실현되지 못했지만 만나 뵈었던 공무원들께서 많은 정보를 주시고 지원을 해 주신데 대하여 깊이 감사드립니다. 또한 다양한 시각을 가진 활동가들도 만났고 다수의 시위현장을 방문했으며 세월호 침몰로 아이를 잃은 가족들도 만나고, 안산, 경주, 포항을 방문했습니다. 이를 통해 한국의 시민사회와 민주주의의 역동성을 직접 체험할 수 있었습니다. 저는 서로 단결하여 거리 또는 권력의 중심지로 나아가 자신의 생각을 피력하고 변화를 이끌어내고자 하는 적극적이고 활기... Continue reading →
(한국어) SEOUL – I would like to thank the Government of the Republic of Korea for inviting me to undertake this official mission here from 20 to 29 January 2016, my first to Asia. I would also like to thank the Government for its excellent cooperation in organizing the mission, including the visit with KCTU president Mr. Han Sang-gyun in prison. I have had informative exchanges with the members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches, and met with a list of officials too long to list here. Their input and assistance was much appreciated even though I did not meet with any of the political leaders of government despite my repeated requests. I also met with activists representing different perspectives, observed a number of protests, talked with families who lost their children in the Sewol ferry tragedy, and more. I travelled to Ansan, Sejong, Gyeongju, and Pohang. These experiences allowed me to witness firsthand the vibrancy of this country’s civil society and democracy. I am impressed by the boisterous and energetic tradition of people joining together and taking to the streets or the halls of power to speak their mind and effect change. Some view this tradition as a bit rowdy, but civil society’s heart beats loudly in South Korea, something that all democracies should... Continue reading →
(English) 제네바 —UN 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유 특별보고관 마이나 키아이(이하 “특별보고관”)가 1월 20일부터 29일까지 방한한다. 방한 기간 동안 평화적 집회와 결사의 권리가 대한민국 내에서 어느정도 수준으로 향유되는지 면밀하게 평가할 예정이다. 특별보고관은UN 인권이사회로부터 전세계 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유권 실현을 모니터링하고 독려하는 임무를 부여받은 독립적 전문가이다. 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유 특별보고관으로는 정보 수집을 목적으로 대한민국에 처음 방문한다. 이번 방한은 대한민국 정부 초청으로 이루어진다. “인권이사회는 평화적 집회와 결사의 자유 권리가 민주주의의 핵심 요소라 인식하며, 회원국으로 하여금 개개인의 평화적 집회 및 결사의 자유 권리를 존중하고 전적으로 보호할 수 있도록 촉구한다. 이번 방한은 이런 관점에서 여러차례 인권을 향한 의지를 표명해온 국가에서 직접 정보를 수집할 기회이다." 고 특별보고관은 발했다. 특별보고관은 9일 간의 일정동안 서울, 안산, 경주 및 포항을 방문하며 정부관계자, 사법부 및 입법부 관계자, ... Continue reading →
(한국어) GENEVA – United Nations Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai will visit the Republic of Korea from 20 to 29 January 2016 to assess in-depth to what extend the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are enjoyed in the country. Mr. Kiai’s visit will be the first information-gathering mission to the Republic of Korea by an independent expert mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and promote the realization of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association worldwide. It will take place at the invitation of the Government. “The Human Rights Council has recognized both rights as essential components of democracy, and called on States to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely,” the expert said. “This visit will give me an opportunity to gather first-hand information in that regard in a country that has voiced its commitment to human rights on repeated occasions.” During his nine-day visit, the Special Rapporteur will travel to Seoul, Ansan, Gyeongju and Pohang. He will meet with State officials, members of the judiciary and of Parliament, as well as representatives of the National Human Rights Institute, the civil society, and the diplomatic community. He also hopes to meet with... Continue reading →
