September 16 & 18, 2026

A Japanese Communist Party delegation consisting of Dietmembers and Gender Equality Commission members met with officials from South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) on September 14 in Seoul to discuss the issue of sex trafficking.

Led by Senator Kira Yoshiko, the delegation is visiting South Korea to investigate the country’s initiatives in areas such as labor and human rights. The mission is scheduled to last until September 17.

During the meeting, Park Jeong-sik, head of the Violence Prevention Education Division at MOGEF stated that South Korea is addressing sex trafficking through a set of two laws: The “Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts” and the “Act on the Prevention of Commercial Sex Acts and Protection of Victims.”

Park explained that the South Korean government has established facilities, counseling centers, and shelters for victims of sex trafficking nationwide in collaboration with local governments and private organizations. He also noted that the national government provides community workshops for victims and guarantees them jobs. Furthermore, the government encourages them to obtain professional qualifications and provides financial support to help them achieve that goal.

JCP Kira pointed out that sex trafficking constitutes violence against women and a violation of fundamental human rights. She said that she now has a clear understanding of how the South Korean government supports victims of sex trafficking.

On September 15, the delegation visited the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the government-funded Korea Labor Institute (KLI) in Sejong City, and the National Human Rights Education Institute in Yongin City. Kira delivered a greeting in Korean, and discussions took place at each facility.