Jong-Chul Kim receives US Department of State 2018 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Hero Award

▲ Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL)’s Attorney Jong-Cheol Kim receiving his award from Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo (left) and Senior White House Advisor, Ivanka Trump (right) at the TIP Report Hero Award ceremony at the US Department of State (Source: US Department of State)

 
Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL)’s Attorney Jong-Chul Kim receives 2018 TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award at US Department of State 2018 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Launch Ceremony

1. The US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) provides an assessment of the efforts of foreign governments to combat human trafficking and has been published in June each year since 2001. This year’s report was released at a launch ceremony held in Washington DC on 28 June 2018 at 2:00pm (EST). Despite some areas of concern the Republic of Korea maintained its Tier 1 position.
2.  Attorney Jong-Chul Kim of Advocates for Public Interest Law APIL (apil.or.kr), a nonprofit public interest lawyers organization advocating for the human rights of refugees and vulnerable migrants, received the 2018 TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award from US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo and Senior White House Advisor, Ivanka Trump during the ceremony held at the US Department of State in Washington DC on 28 June.
3. The US Department of State gave the background to Attorney Kim being selected for this award:

1. Attorney Kim received his award together with nine other heroes, including Francisca Awah Mbuli, a survivor of human trafficking and the founding director of Survivors’ Network, and El Salvador’s Yanira Violeta Olivares Pineda, the head of a national Specialized Trafficking in Persons Unit.(Source: https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2018/282581.htm)

          ▲ The 2018 TIP Hero Award winners (Source: US Department of State courtesy of Meridian International)

1. Attorney Kim said that he is delighted to receive the TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award. He stated that he hopes this will provide the catalyst for the human rights violations against migrant fishers subjected to forced labour and human trafficking on Korean fishing vessels to stop and for the related laws and systems to be reformed. Attorney Kim also said that he hopes a special law will be enacted to implement the United Nations Protocol on Human Trafficking, which the Republic of Korea has ratified.

1. The TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award (Source: http://www.tipheroes.org/)

• When the TIP Report is released each year, the US Department of State also honours individuals who have devoted their lives to the fight against human trafficking by awarding them the TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award for their tireless efforts to eradicate trafficking, protect victims, penalise criminals and raise awareness in their countries of human trafficking. Award recipients have included police officers, lawmakers, government officials and NGO staff. The aim of the award is to raise public awareness of modern human trafficking by establishing a global network that disseminates the work of TIP Report Heroes.
• To date more than 110 individuals have received this award. Those more well known to the public include 2012 recipient American Gary Haugen (founder of International Justice Mission), whose efforts reduced sex trafficking in Cebu, the Philippines by 70%; 2007 recipient Kailash Satyarthi of India, who worked for the eradication of child labor; and 2005 recipient Ricky Martin, Puerto Rican singer, actor and author and founder of People for Children.
• The 18th TIP Report includes descriptions of 187 countries including the United States of America. Award recipients will travel to cities across the United States to engage with civil society actors and law enforcement officials who are working to combat human trafficking.