Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye is taking a commemorative photo with lawyers supporting North Korean defectors in the medium conference room on the 7th floor of Building 1, Government Complex Gwacheon, on the 28th. Photo by Ministry of Justice
[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The Ministry of Justice has appointed support lawyers for North Korean defectors who are socially isolated due to economic difficulties or illness, to provide one-on-one customized legal consultation services.
On the morning of the 27th, the Ministry of Justice held an appointment ceremony for support lawyers for North Korean defectors in the medium conference room on the 7th floor of Building 1 at the Government Complex Gwacheon, appointing 34 lawyers as support lawyers for North Korean defectors.
The event was held with only three of the 34 support lawyers attending, considering the social distancing level 4 situation.
The Ministry of Justice has been preparing to introduce the support lawyer system for North Korean defectors to help this socially vulnerable group, who are easily exposed to difficult situations due to challenges adapting to the new system, social relationship disconnection, and lack of information about welfare systems.
In July last year, the Ministry signed a business agreement with the Korean Bar Association and the Korea Hana Foundation to implement the support lawyer system for North Korean defectors and conducted a pilot project with 11 lawyers at 11 regional adaptation centers for North Korean defectors (Hana Centers) in the metropolitan area.
The Ministry of Justice stated that the pilot project showed positive results, including active interest from North Korean defectors, leading to the formal introduction of this system.
The Ministry announced that among low-income North Korean defectors earning 65% or less of the median income, priority support will be given to those who are ▲disabled ▲single-parent families ▲crime victims ▲elderly living alone aged 65 or older ▲long-term unemployed for more than six months ▲and those with poor credit.
When a professional counselor at the Hana Center identifies changes in the daily life of the support target and shares this with the support lawyer, the support lawyer proactively identifies and consults on legal issues and supports subsequent procedures.
At the appointment ceremony, Minister of Justice Park Beom-gye said, "Empathizing with and supporting the legal difficulties and human hardships of North Korean defectors is precisely protecting their human rights and opening the way for them to adapt as members of the Republic of Korea," adding, "The public observing this will also be able to nurture greater hope for unification."
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