Global Human Rights Risks: Export Companies Must Prepare Response Strategies

KCCI Hosts 'Business and Human Rights Conference'
Strategies Discussed for Responding to Human Rights Due Diligence Legislation

As global supply chains are being reorganized, 'human rights due diligence'?which examines safety and labor rights issues in industrial settings?is increasingly impacting corporate management. There have been calls to assess the current state of corporate human rights management and to seek strategies to enhance global competitiveness.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on the 12th that it co-hosted the 'Business and Human Rights Conference' with the Korean Bar Association and the UN Global Compact (UNGC) Korea Network. The conference discussed the impact of changes in domestic and international environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policy trends on businesses, as well as future response strategies.

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Yonhap News

At the conference, presentations were given on ▲domestic and international laws and regulations related to business and human rights ▲the results of human rights due diligence assessments of Korean companies ▲and case studies of disputes related to business and human rights.

Attorney Cho Sunhee (DLG Law Firm) explained, "It is important to note that the movement to legislate human rights due diligence is accelerating, especially in advanced countries," and added, "As our economy is export-oriented, it will inevitably be affected, making the need for human rights management by companies even greater."

The United States, under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act that took effect in 2022, imposes sanctions unless it can be proven that products produced in the Xinjiang Uyghur region of China are not linked to forced labor. The European Union (EU) also adopted a regulation last year banning the import of goods associated with forced labor and has instructed member states to investigate and manage such cases.

Attorney Lee Geunwoo (HwaWoo Law Firm) pointed out, "While issues of forced labor and child labor have largely disappeared domestically, there remain areas where Korean standards fall somewhat short compared to global companies." Attorney Song Siheon (Jungjin Law Firm) emphasized, "Overseas, lawsuits against companies that fail to fulfill their human rights management responsibilities are increasing, and companies that ignore human rights issues such as forced labor and discrimination against minorities may face legal liability."

Park Iljun, Executive Vice President of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated, "Although the recent EU omnibus package has eased environmental regulations, we now face the challenge of examining labor and human rights at domestic and overseas business sites." He added, "We will work together with the government, the National Assembly, and companies to ensure that our businesses do not suffer disadvantages due to human rights-related regulations."

Meanwhile, the event was attended by Park Iljun, Executive Vice President of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Kim Jungwook, President of the Korean Bar Association; Yoo Yeoncheol, Secretary-General of the UNGC Korea Network; as well as ESG officers from major companies and institutions, and around 100 participants from academia.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.