Han Seung-heon, known as a 'first-generation human rights lawyer' for defending numerous prisoners of conscience and political detainees during the military regime era, passed away on the 20th at the age of 88. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] Han Seunghun, an '1st generation human rights lawyer' (88), has passed away. On the 20th at 11 p.m., the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun) announced, "Han Seunghun, a great elder of Minbyun, has passed away."
He was born in 1934 in Jinangun, Jeonbuk, and graduated from the Department of Political Science at Jeonbuk National University. In 1957, he passed the 8th Judicial Examination and, after serving as a legal officer, was commissioned as a prosecutor in 1960. He worked for five years at the Tongyeong Branch Office, the Prosecutor's Office of the Ministry of Justice, and the Seoul District Prosecutors' Office before opening his own law practice.
He began full-scale human rights lawyering in 1965 during the military regime and defended numerous conscientious objectors and political prisoners. He handled various political cases such as the 'Dongbaekrim Spy Group Case' (1967), the 'Mincheonghakryun Case' (1974), the 'Inhyukdang Case' (1975), the 'Kim Daejung Conspiracy Fabrication Case' (1980), and the 'Impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun' (2004).
He personally suffered under the military regime's oppression. In 1975, he was arrested and given a suspended sentence for writing a condolence letter mourning the death of the late Assemblyman Kim Kyunam, who was executed in the 'European Spy Group Case,' but was acquitted in 2017 after retrial. In 1980, he was imprisoned as an alleged accomplice in the 'Kim Daejung Conspiracy Fabrication Case.'
In 1986, he, along with lawyers Hong Seongwoo and Cho Youngrae, who shared his commitment to human rights lawyering, founded the 'Association of Lawyers for the Realization of Justice (Jeongbeophwe),' which became the foundation of Minbyun. Minbyun was launched on May 28, 1988, with 51 members after the merger of Jeongbeophwe and the Young Lawyers Association (Cheongbyeon).
He served as the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection under the Kim Daejung administration and as the Chairperson of the Judicial Reform Promotion Committee during the Roh Moo-hyun administration. He was part of the legal team during the impeachment of former President Roh. When President Moon Jaein was a presidential candidate, he also served as the head of the advisory committee for the integrated government in the election campaign.
He also served as the legal advisor to the Korea Journalists Association, the founding chairman of the Hankyoreh Newspaper, an advisory member of the Constitutional Court, and a legal advisor to the Gwankun Club.
At the 70th anniversary event of the judiciary in 2018, he was awarded the Order of the Mugunghwa Medal for his dedication to guaranteeing the basic rights of the people and his efforts toward judicial reform and the de-authoritarianization of the judiciary. His funeral was held at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital.
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