Country detail - yourHRC.org

Republic of Korea

Regional group:

Asia – Pacific Group (APG)

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Council Bureau membership:	President (2016)
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2024) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2014)
OHCHR presence:	Country Office
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Ad hoc

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Human rights, democracy and the rule of law; New and emerging digital technologies; Promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal; Local government and human rights; The role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, the Republic of Korea has voted (in the absence of consensus) in favour of nearly all resolutions tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council's attention) and country-specific resolutions under item 2 (except for a 2017 text on Burundi – it voted against, and two abstentions – Venezuela and OPT). For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), the Republic of Korea has tended to either vote in favour or abstain (almost equally). It has only voted against an item 7 text one time (2020). On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), the Republic of Korea has joined consensus on all resolutions except for the following texts that were voted on during its time as a member: five occasions on cooperation with Ukraine (voted in favour), and on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (twice abstained), on cooperation with Georgia (abstained four times). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, the Republic of Korea has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has voted in favour of resolutions on a number of issues, including: sexual orientation; torture; implementation of the Durban Declaration; arms transfers; peaceful protests; human rights, democracy and rule of law. The Republic of Korea has voted against resolutions on, inter alia: defamation of religions; drones; a global call for concrete action against racism; complementary standards to CERD; the right to peace; and the effects of terrorism. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, it has, in the absence of consensus, tended to vote against or (somewhat less frequently) abstain on draft texts. The Republic of Korea has voted against resolutions on, inter alia: foreign debt; the impacts of globalisation; international solidarity; and unilateral coercive measures. It has voted in favour of resolutions on, inter alia: HIV and AIDS, the right to food, and WASH. The Republic of Korea tends to abstain or (somewhat less frequently) vote in favour during votes on resolutions on the right to development.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
WG on arbitrary detention, 2015, visit agreed with dates

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

None overdue

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2008, 2012, 2017)

Mid-term report

1st & 2nd cycles

Level of delegation

Ministry

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 69 / 192

2^nd cycle: 110 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2024)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 25

The Republic of Korea presented voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidature for membership for the period 2020-2022 on July 2019.

Key international-level pledges included: cooperating with the international community to address human rights violations around the world; cooperating with other States on the implementation of their obligations through technical assistance; incorporating human rights perspectives into development cooperation; helping make the Council more effective and efficient, so that it can respond to urgent situations in a prompt manner; cooperate fully with the Special Procedures, UPR and Treaty Bodies; support the work of OHCHR;

Key national-level pledges included: implement the provisions of the international human rights instruments at the national level; consider withdrawing the reservations made to article 25e of the CRPD, and to article 21a of the CRC; consider ratifying the CED, OP-CAT, the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (The Palermo Protocol); strengthen the implementation of the ‘Second National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights’ for 2012-2016, and enhance cooperation and partnership with civil society.

An analysis of steps taken by the Republic of Korea in fulfilment of its pledges shows that it has supported the work of the OHCHR, inter alia, by making voluntary financial contributions. The Republic of Korea indeed ratified the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the Palermo Protocol in 2015; although it is yet to ratify the CED and OP-CAT. The Republic of Korea fulfilled its pledges to withdraw its reservations to the CRC and CRPD.

The country has a strong record of cooperation with Special Procedures. It maintains a standing invitation to visit, has completed or accepted almost 90% of all visit requests, and has responded to 80% of communications received.

Republic of Korea

Asia – Pacific Group (APG)

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 69 / 192

2nd cycle: 110 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 25

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 69 / 192

2^nd cycle: 110 / 192