NHRCK presented its opinion on the National Report for the second cycle of the UPR submitted to the Human Rights Council
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) announced its opinion on the National Report from the Government of the Republic of Korea (the Ministry of Justice is in charge) for the second cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
The UPR is one of UN human rights mechanisms which reviews human rights situation of all UN Member States in order to make necessary recommendations for the improvement of human rights. The ROK received thirty three recommendations at the first UPR in 2008. The second UPR will assess human rights situation in 193 UN Member States from June 2012 to December 2016. The ROK will be reviewed by the Human Rights Council in October 2012 mainly regarding the implementation of recommendations from the first UPR.
The Government submitted a National Report to the Human Rights Council on 13 August 2012 for the second UPR on the human rights situation in Korea during four years from 2008 to 2011. The NHRCK pointed out that the National Report only explains institutional changes and policies which have been taken during the last four years, and evaluating this type of structure does not show specific changes in human rights situation in Korea. By looking at the details, insufficient explanation as to recommendations from the last UPR was displayed in the Report. Also, the previous stance was merely repeated and the Government’s position in the National Report was not identical with that at the domestic level.
However, the Human Rights Council calls for the active participation from the National Human Rights Institutions and civil society in the course of preparation and conduct of the UPR. In this regard, the NHRCK submitted its independent report on 18 April 2012 to the Human Rights Council for the UPR. It also will present its opinion at ROK’s UPR session in 2012 and monitor what will be reviewed and discussed.
