Rights watchdog offers guideline on forced evictions

SEOUL, March 12 (Yonhap) -- The country's human rights watchdog on Thursday
proposed a set of guidelines to the government for carrying out forced evictions
and demolitions in light of a recent police raid in which five squatters died.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) said it delivered a
five-clause recommendation for legal revisions to the public safety and
construction ministries regarding forced evictions and demolitions in urban
redevelopment projects.
In January, a police SWAT team raided a dilapidated four-story building in
Seoul's Yongsan district to evict dozens of squatters opposing redevelopment of
the area. The deaths of five protesters during the pre-dawn raid prompted weeks
of protest against the police, forcing the national police chief-appointee to
resign last month.
The NHRCK recommended that the government provide potential evictees with
"sufficient opportunity for negotiations and adequate compensation" and carry out
a full on-site inspection by authorities within demolition sites.
It also suggested the government allow demolition only after residents are
completely evicted from an area, ban forced evictions during winter and night
hours and provide sufficient relief programs for potential victims of future
redevelopment projects.
The commission stressed that forced evictions that infringe on people's right to
an "adequate way of life" should, in principle, be banned.
The NHRCK also urged the public safety minister to establish a law banning
violent means when conducting police operations. It also urged the country's
police chief to strengthen management of on-site evictions and ban private
security guards at demolition sites from participating in police operations.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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