At a press conference held at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club on 7th August, organised by Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) alongside several European organisations focused on freedom of religion and belief, the head of the Seoul branch of the Korean War Veterans Association called for a balanced approach that respects both the rule of law and human dignity.

Jae-sik Ryu shared that Shincheonji volunteers have continued to support and serve Korean War veterans through various volunteer and outreach activities. He emphasised that the issue is not about asking anyone to overlook wrongdoing, but about ensuring that the basic human rights and freedom of religion guaranteed to every Korean citizen are being fairly respected.

He also pointed out that ManHee Lee is a Korean War veteran and a very elderly person, urging authorities to consider not only legal procedures and public order, but also fundamental human dignity and life.

International human rights experts who attended the press conference likewise stressed that their concern was not to determine the outcome of a particular case in advance. Rather, they questioned whether freedom of religion and expression, the presumption of innocence, proportionality, and human dignity are being fully respected in the process of legal and administrative enforcement.

International human rights organisations also stated that they will continue monitoring the situation and raising concerns about the fundamental rights of religious minorities with the international community and European human rights institutions.

At the heart of the message is a simple principle: Law must be upheld, but human dignity and fundamental rights must never be forgotten.