At the beginning of 1979 the ICJ received a number of reports of the harassment and persecution of defense lawyers in South Korea for action which they had properly taken in a professional capacity on behalf of their clients in political cases.
In view of the gravity of these reports the ICJ’s Centre for the Independence of Judges and Lawyers decided to send a mission to South Korea to enquire into the situation of these lawyers and the defense rights of their clients, and, in the light of its findings, to make appropriate representations to the South Korean authorities and to the South Korean Bar Association.
South Korea-persecution of defense lawyers-fact-finding mission report-1979-eng (full text in English, PDF)