Statement by the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea on International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2026
- 20th Anniversary of the Adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance: Urging the Prompt Enactment of Relevant Legislation -
□ On the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on August 30, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho; hereinafter "NHRCK") expresses its deepest condolences and solidarity to victims of enforced disappearance and their families around the world who continue to suffer from this grave violation.
□ This year marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (hereinafter "the Convention") by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006. Commemorating this milestone, the UN designated the slogan for 2026 as "Victims first. Actions now," urging states to place victims' right to know the truth, right to justice, and right to reparation at the center of all responses.
□ Enforced disappearance is a severe human rights violation in which agents of the State, or persons acting with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of the State, deprive a person of liberty through arrest, detention, abduction, or any other form, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, placing such a person outside the scope of legal protection. In this process, multiple fundamental rights, including the freedom and safety of person, the right to life, and human dignity, are simultaneously infringed over an extended period.
○ The harm does not stop with the disappeared individual. Left in a state where even the fate of their loved ones remains unknown, families are forced to endure endless cycles of hope and despair over many years, often facing severe economic and social hardships in their search for the truth. Taking these characteristics into account, the international community defines enforced disappearance as an independent and serious crime, classifying it as a crime against humanity when committed as part of a widespread or systematic practice. Furthermore, in 2024, the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) issued a joint statement announcing that the prohibition of enforced disappearance has become a jus cogens, from which no derogation is permitted under any circumstances.
□ The Republic of Korea ratified the Convention in 2022, and it entered into force domestically in February 2023. Accordingly, the State bears an obligation not only to prevent and punish enforced disappearance, but also to establish legal and institutional frameworks ensuring that victims' right to know the truth, right to realize justice, and right to reparation and rehabilitation are substantively guaranteed. Currently, two bills, the Act on the Punishment of the Crime of Enforced Disappearance, Prevention of Enforced Disappearance, and Remedy for Victims, etc., have been introduced in the 22nd National Assembly to implement the Convention domestically, but the legislative procedure has yet to be completed.
○ In July 2025, the NHRCK issued an opinion to the Speaker of the National Assembly emphasizing the need for the prompt passage of the relevant bills. The Commission advised that the legislation must clearly define perpetrators of enforced disappearance, regulate enforced disappearances by non-state actors, prohibit forced return (non-refoulement), protect vulnerable groups and child victims of enforced disappearance, expand the scope of victims, and fully incorporate provisions for compensation, reparation, and remedies.
□ In particular, 2026 represents a critical period for the Republic of Korea to advance the practical implementation of the Convention to the next level. Regarding the initial state report submitted by the Korean government, the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances adopted the List of Issues on March 19, pursuant to which the government must submit its written replies to the List of Issues by March 31, 2027. The NHRCK is also preparing a written submission to present to the Committee on Enforced Disappearances.
□ The suffering caused by enforced disappearance does not fade simply with the passage of time. As long as the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared, the circumstances of their disappearance, and the responsibility remain undisclosed, the wait of the victims and their families can never end.
○ In this regard, efforts must continue to confirm the fate and whereabouts of abductees, unreturned prisoners of war, and detainees in North Korea from the Korean War and its aftermath, thereby guaranteeing their families' right to know the truth. Likewise, issues of enforced disappearance that occurred during past state violence must be continually addressed to ensure thorough fact-finding and victim recovery. Furthermore, regarding issues raised in relation to the application of the Convention, such as cases of international adoption that involved document falsification or concealment during the illegal separation of children from their birth families, an effective institutional foundation must be established to uncover the truth and restore rights to the victims.
□ To this end, on the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention, the NHRCK urges the Government and the National Assembly to take more proactive steps toward the full and effective domestic implementation of the treaty. Above all, legislations enabling the implementation of the Convention must be promptly enacted, victims must be guaranteed substantive participation across the entire process of truth-seeking and recovery, and prevention systems must be continually strengthened so that no person becomes a victim of enforced disappearance in the future.
○ Moving forward, the NHRCK will listen even more attentively to the voices of victims of enforced disappearance and their families, continuing to re-examine unresolved issues of enforced disappearance in our society from the perspective of the victims.
□ Marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances once again, we extend our profound solidarity and condolences to all victims of enforced disappearance and their families, expressing our hope that our current efforts will serve as a starting point toward a society free from enforced disappearance, a society that puts victims first.
August 29, 2026
Ahn Chang-ho
Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of Korea
