Human rights groups raise alarm over religious freedom in South Korea

International rights organizations, including Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) and CAP Liberté de Conscience, have raised concerns regarding freedom of religion and expression in South Korea.

During a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club, advocates addressed the treatment of elderly religious leaders in pretrial detention, specifically calling for a review of the detention of 95-year-old Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee and 83-year-old Hak-ja Han Moon of the Family Federation. The groups urged South Korean authorities to ensure legal responses to religious minorities remain neutral and proportionate in accordance with international human rights obligations.

Additional issues cited include the continued scrutiny of Segero Church in Busan, public hostility toward a mosque project in Daegu, and religious accommodation in schools. The organizations also noted concerns regarding conscientious objectors, specifically citing that the alternative civilian service for Jehovah’s Witnesses requires 36 months of service in correctional facilities—double the length of standard military service.