Shin Heesuk Appointed to UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 9 that Shin Heesuk, Legal Analyst at the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), age 43, was appointed as a member of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention during the 59th session of the Council on July 8. This marks the second time a Korean national has served in this role, following Hong Sungphil, former professor at Yonsei University Law School, who served from 2014 to 2021.

Heesuk Shin, Member of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. Ministry of Foreign Affairs

TJWG is a non-profit human rights organization established in Seoul in September 2014 in response to the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) report on North Korean human rights. The organization investigates and documents human rights issues in North Korea and conducts research on experiences and lessons learned in transitional justice processes worldwide.

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, in which Shin will serve, is one of the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. It is composed of five members, each appointed from one of the UN's five regions. The group investigates cases of deprivation of liberty that are arbitrary or in violation of international human rights norms, determines whether arbitrary detention has occurred, and provides necessary recommendations. The term of office is three years, with the possibility of one reappointment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "As a member of the Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term, Korea is actively participating in the international community's efforts to protect and promote human rights," adding, "We will continue to support our capable experts so that they can participate in various UN human rights bodies in the future."