Nation's two leading candidates silent on human rights issues

Lee Jae-myung, left, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, and his rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party, shake hands ahead of a televised debate at the KBS main studio in Seoul, May 23. Newsis

A coalition of prominent human rights organizations, both within South Korea and internationally, including the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and Human Rights Watch, sought to engage the nation's leading presidential contenders regarding fundamental rights. However, their questionnaires have reportedly been met with silence from the two front-runners.

According to Human Rights Watch, Wednesday, Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the conservative People Power Party, and his liberal rival, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, have notably declined to respond. The unanswered questions addressed key issues such as freedom of speech, environmental responsibility and the future of human rights policy toward North Korea, among others.

Another questionnaire sent jointly by the FIDH and the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), a Seoul-based group, was also met with silence, according to a TJWG official.

“It is deeply disappointing that voters will have to cast their ballots without knowing where the two major candidates stand on key issues,” the official told The Korea Times.

The FIDH-TJWG questionnaire included politically sensitive inquiries such as, “Will you support the legalization of same-sex marriages or same-sex civil unions?” and “Do you plan to improve Korea’s asylum recognition rate overall and specifically for asylum seekers from China?”

“It’s not surprising that, with the June 3 presidential election approaching, they would avoid making statements that might hurt their chances of gaining votes. However, their silence raises concerns among rights advocates,” the official said of the culturally progressive issues that remain unpopular among a sizable proportion of the public.

On human rights issues concerning North Korean residents and defectors, the two candidates have taken clear and consistent stances. Kim advocates for actively promoting North Korean human rights on the international stage, while Lee favors a more cautious approach — one that avoids antagonizing Pyongyang and aims to achieve tangible changes.

However, on many other issues — such as freedom of the press — their positions remain more ambiguous. When asked by a journalist on Sunday about potential press suppression under a new administration, Lee dismissed the question, calling it “not an urgent matter.” Concerns stem from the fact that his party attempted in 2021 to pass a bill in the National Assembly that would have imposed punitive damages on media outlets for “fake news reports.” The proposal was ultimately derailed amid international criticism.

According to HRW, Lee Jun-seok, the presidential candidate of the Reform Party, is the only one who provided a response to its questionnaire.

Asked whether he would pursue the passing of a comprehensive anti-discrimination law as president, Lee said discrimination should be banned in principle, but a comprehensive ban on all forms of discrimination is “not logical and something impossible to achieve.”

When asked about his position on same-sex partnerships, Lee said, “I believe that the rights of same-sex couples should be gradually expanded,” without elaborating how he would do so.

In response to a question about whether he would formally abolish the nation’s death penalty law as president, Lee said he would keep it unchanged.

“In every election season in South Korea, one of the common populist pledges among some candidates is to carry out the death penalty on serious criminals. I disagree with them. The effect of the practical abolition of the death penalty should continue,” he said. “In consideration of public sentiment, however, the punishment for death row inmates, such as penal labor, may be strengthened. I believe that penal labor for inmates on death row is a necessary measure for their mental health as well.”