National Police Agency Human Rights Commission Recommends Minimizing Human Rights Violations in Suspect Identity Disclosure

Kang Yoon-sung (56), who is accused of murdering two women before and after damaging an electronic tracking device (electronic anklet), is being transferred to the prosecution from Songpa Police Station in Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] As the police have disclosed the identities of seven suspects this year, including serial killer Kang Yoon-sung (56), the Police Human Rights Committee has recommended that the disclosure of identities be operated to the minimum extent necessary to strengthen human rights protection.

According to the police on the 9th, the Police Human Rights Committee recently held a plenary meeting and expressed serious concerns to the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency about the potential human rights violations and harms caused by the identity disclosure system, recommending improvements to the system.

The Police Human Rights Committee first advised that the disclosure of suspects' faces and identities should be limited to the minimum necessary scope only when it is directly related to police work, such as crime prevention and investigative purposes.

Additionally, since the current identity disclosure system’s criteria such as 'brutality of the crime method,' 'severity of the damage,' and 'sufficient evidence' are unclear, and there is no legal basis for the timing, procedures, and methods of disclosure, the committee also recommended pursuing legal amendments to supplement these aspects.

Along with this, it recommended enhancing the independence and fairness of the Identity Disclosure Committee by organizing and operating it mainly with external personnel, and securing procedural fairness by granting suspects opportunities to state their opinions and submit explanatory materials.

The Police Human Rights Committee stated, "Identity disclosure has effects equivalent to criminal punishment and causes serious secondary damage to family and acquaintances. Moreover, if a suspect whose identity is disclosed before a final verdict is later acquitted, irreparable harm is caused," adding, "We recommend improving regulations so that disclosure is made only to the minimum extent necessary for crime prevention or investigative purposes."