Gov¡¯t rebuts KBA¡¯s human rights report

The Ministry of Justice held a press conference on Monday to rebut a human rights report from the Korean Bar Association (KBA). At the press conference, the ministry strongly contested KBA`s assertion that national human rights conditions are disappointing by asserting that the civilian government has made human rights a top priority since its establishment.

As for the KBA`s call for the abolishment of the National Security Law (NSL) and the Security Surveillance Act, the ministry revealed that the NSL is under review and any future amendments will be made in consideration of the recent changes in relations with North Korea. The ministry further asserted that the Constitutional Court declared the Security Surveillance Act constitutional in 1997.

The ministry¡¯s spokesperson Park Young-Ryul insisted that 33% less people were apprehended for NSL violations in 1999 than 1998 and that violators decreased 62% in the first half of 2000 from the same period last year.

Park also asserted that only 41 people were apprehended for violating article 7 of the NSL, indicating the government`s reinforced seriousness in applying the law.

The Ministry of Justice rebutted KBA¡¯s report item by item, stating that since the establishment of the civilian government it has improved human rights by taking measures to prevent the violation of human rights during criminal investigations, abolished ideology conversion programs, improved treatment of the indicted, upgraded the position of women, legalized all student unions and amended laws regarding activities for democracy