Korea¡¯s human rights record criticized

In the Korean Bar Association¡¯s (President Kim Chang-Kuk) Human Rights Report, which was published Sunday, the bar has judged that the human rights environment of South Korea for 1999, which marks the second year of the current administration "has been extremely disappointing."

"The pending bills for the enactment of human rights laws, the establishment of human rights organizations and the abolition of the National Security Law and Security Surveillance Act are in a state of non-movement,¡± according to the report, which evaluated the domestic human rights situation according to eight categories. ¡°Furthermore, in the aftermath of the International Monetary Fund management system, the maintenance of the quality of life in various sectors such as labor and the sense of security, the environment and for women is being threatened."

"The National Security Law and the Security Surveillance Act are relics of the 20th century, and they represents a problem for it to continue to exist," attorney Kim Sung-Soo said. "As long as the two laws exist, all efforts of the government to improve human rights issues will be in vain."

The bar report also criticized the amnesty system behind the release of political prisoners, as well as the death penalty.

"Although many conscientious prisoners have been released, the granting of amnesties still contained a great deal of corruption in politics, such as the case of Kim Hyun-Chul," the KBA report stated. "The government should abolish in phases capital punishment, which is the highest violation of the freedom to live."

However, the enactment of special laws for fact finding in the April 3 Cheju incident, the introduction of special prosecution motion for the Esposa Lobby Case, the legalization of the National Teachers` Union, and the adoption of laws for the guarantee of a standard of living for below-poverty-level earners, all are advancements in the growth as a human rights nation.

The KBA has published its annual report on the human rights environment in Korea since 1986.