Human Rights Commission's 'Protection of Wednesday Protests' Recommendation Met with Backlash from Conservative Groups
Freedom Solidarity: "We Will Sue the Human Rights Commission... An Extralegal Act"
Police Reviewing Recommendation... Expected to Announce Position Soon
On the 15th, near the former Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, Seoul, participants at the regular Wednesday demonstration for resolving the issue of Japanese military comfort women victims held up 'conscience mirrors' toward far-right groups disrupting the rally. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Conflicts are escalating among the National Human Rights Commission, the police, and conservative groups over the regular Wednesday demonstrations organized by the Justice and Memory Solidarity (Jeong-ui-yeon). Although the Human Rights Commission recommended guaranteeing the right to protest for all parties while advising different times and locations for the assemblies, conservative groups are opposing this, and the police face limitations in enforcement.
The network of five organizations supporting victims of the Japanese military 'comfort women,' including Jeong-ui-yeon, filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission earlier this month, accusing state authorities of neglecting human rights violations committed by conservative groups at the Wednesday demonstrations. On the 17th, the Human Rights Commission issued an emergency relief order, advising the chief of the Jongno Police Station in Seoul to actively encourage the opposing protest groups to hold their assemblies at different times and locations to prevent interference with the regular Wednesday demonstrations. The recommendation also included urging the police to stop or warn any acts of defamation or insults against participants by the opposing groups and to actively investigate such incidents.
The police plan to announce their stance on the Human Rights Commission's recommendation soon. However, even if the police accept the recommendation, it lacks legal enforceability. Ultimately, they must enforce the law according to the Assembly and Demonstration Act. The conservative groups involved have stated that they will never accept requests to change the time or location, even if demanded by the police.
The conservative group Liberty Solidarity views the Human Rights Commission's recommendation as ultra vires and an abuse of authority and plans to file a complaint against the commission. Kim Sang-jin, Secretary-General of Liberty Solidarity, said, "Regardless of the police's decision, we will not concede on time or location. If there were damages caused by defamation or insults at the site, the victims should file complaints themselves, but the Human Rights Commission is overstepping its bounds."
Since June 2020, starting with the 1,445th regular Wednesday demonstration, Jeong-ui-yeon moved the demonstration site about 20 meters away from the former Japanese Embassy near the Statue of Peace to in front of the Yonhap News building, which had been the usual venue. This change occurred after controversies surrounding Jeong-ui-yeon and independent lawmaker Yoon Mee-hyang, as conservative groups would wait until midnight every night at the jurisdictional Jongno Police Station and submit assembly notifications first to secure the location. However, when other groups such as the National Action for the Abolition of the Comfort Women Law occupied the new site, the demonstration moved further down toward the National Tax Service building. This location was also taken over by the Mom Unit using the same method, and currently, the Wednesday demonstrations are held in front of the Somerset Palace building.
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