Human Rights Commission "Welcomes the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Recommendation for Victim Recovery Measures in the Brothers Home Incident"

Jung Geun-sik, Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Past Affairs (left), is holding a press conference announcing the decision to uncover the truth about human rights violations at the Brothers Home on the 24th at the commission office in Jung-gu.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Past Affairs (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) concluded that the Hyeongjebokjiwon incident was a serious human rights violation caused by the state's unjust exercise of public authority, and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) expressed its welcome.

On the 26th, the NHRCK issued a statement in the name of Chairman Song Doo-hwan, saying, "We welcome the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's decision to recommend the government and the National Assembly to take measures to restore the victims of the Hyeongjebokjiwon incident." It added, "We urge the government to immediately take measures such as psychological counseling, trauma treatment, and medical support for the physical and mental damages of the victims, and to prepare and implement plans to provide sufficient compensation to the victims, using this decision as an opportunity."

The Hyeongjebokjiwon incident refers to the case from the establishment of Hyeongje Childcare Center on July 20, 1960, until the closure of the psychiatric nursing home on August 20, 1992, during which public authorities such as the police forcibly confined people identified as vagrants to Hyeongjebokjiwon, a private social welfare institution, and serious human rights violations such as forced labor, assault, abuse, death, and disappearance occurred. The number of residents admitted to Hyeongjebokjiwon was about 38,000 from 1975, when Busan City signed a contract for the custody and protection of vagrants, until 1986, and especially in 1984, the number of admissions reached 4,355 in a single year.

Previously, the NHRCK recommended that the state prepare measures for victim restoration and trauma healing support. It also recommended the National Assembly to promptly ratify the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Furthermore, it expressed the opinion to the Speaker of the National Assembly that it is desirable to promptly enact a special law on Hyeongjebokjiwon, and recommended the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Justice to ratify and accede to the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. However, the special law on Hyeongjebokjiwon proposed to the National Assembly at that time was discarded due to the expiration of the term, and the ratification of the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance has not yet been completed.

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