Korean Association for Human Rights Studies: "Moon Jae-in Government's Human Rights Policy Generally Rated Inadequate by Experts"

[Provided by the Korean Association of Human Rights]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Experts have generally diagnosed that the human rights policy achievements of the Moon Jae-in administration were insufficient.

According to a survey conducted on the 9th by the Korean Association for Human Rights, targeting 65 members of the association, members of the Human Rights Law Association, and human rights activists, the negative evaluation rate of the current government's human rights policy was high. First, 63.1% responded that the government's human rights policy achievements were insufficient, exceeding half. Regarding the expertise of the government's human rights policy, 58.4% said it was insufficient, and 58.5% said the level of acceptance of human rights recommendations was insufficient.

In particular, 58.4% responded that human rights considerations were insufficient in the government's quarantine policy process after COVID-19. Specifically, evaluations were predominantly that there were shortcomings in ▲policy considerations and support for socially vulnerable groups in disaster situations ▲responses to hate, discrimination, and stigma ▲efforts to protect and remedy socioeconomic threats ▲minimizing restrictions on fundamental rights and maintaining balance during the quarantine process.

Regarding the activities of the National Human Rights Commission, 36.9% responded that they ‘trust’ it, which was higher than the 26.2% who responded ‘do not trust.’ More than half, 52.3%, responded that the Human Rights Commission contributed to improving the human rights situation. However, 72.3% evaluated the leadership of key members such as the chairperson and commissioners as insufficient. Regarding major human rights issues in our society in the future (multiple responses allowed), ‘prohibition of discrimination’ was chosen most frequently, followed by ‘climate crisis and human rights,’ ‘labor rights,’ ‘rights of migrants and refugees,’ and ‘right to an adequate standard of living,’ in that order.

Meanwhile, an analysis of speeches delivered up to the fourth year after President Moon Jae-in took office pointed out that the frequency of the term ‘human rights’ gradually decreased. Keywords related to human rights such as ‘discrimination’ and ‘polarization’ showed the same trend, the association analyzed. The association plans to announce detailed survey results at an online academic conference to be held on the 10th.