Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "Very Regrettable Downgrade in Human Trafficking Prevention Rating"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret on the 20th over the U.S. Department of State's classification of South Korea as Tier 2 in the "2022 Trafficking in Persons Report" released on the 19th (local time).

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Our government, which has made multifaceted efforts to eradicate human trafficking, finds this recent tier adjustment very regrettable," and added, "With the launch of the new administration, we plan to make more proactive efforts to prevent and eradicate human trafficking."

The official explained, "The report's results do not mean that South Korea's efforts to prevent human trafficking have weakened or that related human rights conditions have deteriorated," and noted, "The evaluation focuses on whether there has been continuous improvement compared to the previous year during the assessment period from April last year to March this year."

He further added, "If there are any factual inaccuracies in the report, we will actively take necessary measures such as consulting with relevant ministries, raising the issue with the U.S. side, and submitting related supporting materials."

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this report is the result of the U.S. Department of State's independent analysis and evaluation of information obtained from governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the media of various countries.

The U.S. Department of State's specific recommendations for South Korea include strong punishment and prosecution efforts against human trafficking offenders, strengthening victim identification and protection, improving working conditions for migrant seafarers, and enhancing education and training for law enforcement officers and related public officials.

The official said, "Since the Act on the Prevention of Human Trafficking and Protection of Victims will come into effect next year, our government will establish a foundation to prevent human trafficking and improve systems to strengthen victim identification and protection to enhance the effectiveness of this law."

He continued, "We also plan to make concerted efforts to strongly punish human trafficking offenders."