'Saekdongwon Case' Prompts Human Rights Commission to Launch Ex Officio Investigation Targeting Police

Reviewing Victim Interview Procedures During Investigations at Facilities for the Disabled

Assessing Support from Statement Assistants and Trusted Support Persons

"Investigation Procedures Must Be Improved... Targeting Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and Others"

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has launched an ex officio investigation to examine whether the participation of disabled victims was properly ensured during the investigation of human rights violation cases at residential facilities for people with disabilities.

The Human Rights Commission's Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities announced on July 8 that it has decided to conduct an ex officio investigation into "remedies for rights violations during investigations into human rights abuses at residential facilities for people with disabilities, including Saekdongwon," targeting the National Police Agency and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The Commission also plans to include police stations that investigated human rights violation cases at residential facilities for people with disabilities, based on an analysis of the status of cases referred by advocacy organizations for the rights of persons with disabilities.

Kim, the director of Saekdongwon residential facility for people with severe disabilities, who is accused of having forced sexual intercourse or similar sexual acts on female disabled persons under the pretext of life guidance (rape of a disabled person under the Sexual Violence Punishment Act and assault under the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act), is seen leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after completing the pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review) on February 19. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

This investigation was prompted by the recent public controversy surrounding the "Saekdongwon case." The Saekdongwon case refers to allegations raised in early 2025 that human rights violations, including sexual violence, occurred against female residents at a residential facility for people with disabilities in Ganghwa-gun, Incheon. At that time, the police referred facility staff to the prosecution on charges including violations of the Act on the Protection of Sexual Violence Victims and the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act. However, disability advocacy groups questioned whether it was appropriate for the investigation to rely primarily on verbal testimony from developmentally disabled individuals who have difficulty communicating.

The Human Rights Commission plans to focus on whether necessary accommodations were provided, taking into account the communication and expression characteristics of disabled victims. The investigation will also examine whether trusted support persons and statement assistants actually supported victims, and whether alternative methods for confirming harm—such as behavioral observation and review of daily records—were actively utilized in addition to spoken testimony. Furthermore, the Commission will look into whether structural characteristics of such facilities, including their closed nature, the power dynamics between staff and residents, and the potential for repeated victimization, were sufficiently reflected in the investigation process.

The Commission explained that because residential facilities for people with disabilities often limit outside contact and foster relationships of dependency between staff and residents, it can be difficult to fully ascertain the facts of victimization based solely on oral testimony.

A representative from the Human Rights Commission stated, "Disabled victims who have difficulty communicating must be able to participate on an equal footing and have their rights protected during criminal justice procedures," adding, "We will prepare measures to improve investigative procedures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.