human rights – YEWON KIM

In Activities

Breastfeeding in Court and Removing Her Prosthetic Eye: Inside Kim Ye‑won’s Disability Rights Fight

April 17, 2026 No Comments

2019-01-31 06:00
Kim Ye‑won is a solo nonprofit lawyer who runs the Disability Rights Law Center in Seoul, dedicating her practice to people with developmental disabilities, disabled children and women who struggle to access legal help. Her work is visceral and public: she once removed her prosthetic eye in court to plead for the maximum sentence in a case where a five‑year‑old child was blinded, and she has represented clients under extremely constrained conditions through extensive pro bono work. The center operates on minimal resources — the Seoul Bar Association provided office space — and Kim combines strategic litigation with direct client advocacy to advance disability rights and accountability.

Her career is inseparable from motherhood. As a mother of three, she has brought infants into court when childcare was unavailable, famously breastfeeding a 50‑day‑old in the courtroom to avoid missing critical hearings. Kim candidly recounts regrets about placing her first child full‑time in daycare at 82 days and explains that as a self‑employed public interest lawyer she could not take extended leave for later children, forcing practical choices that many working mothers face. Her visible actions sparked strong reactions — surprise from judges, solidarity from fellow women lawyers, and public admiration that she treats as ordinary necessity rather than heroism.

Kim’s personal history shapes her commitment: she lost sight in one eye due to a medical accident, earned law school on full scholarship, and entered public interest work through experiences at Dongcheon and the Seoul Disability Human Rights Center before founding her own center in 2017. Supported by a like‑minded husband who is a judge, the couple regularly donates a portion of their income to charities; Kim channels the rest of her time into client work, household routines she calls a hobby, and relentless fieldwork that keeps her deeply engaged with clients’ lives. Her practice demonstrates a pragmatic, embodied approach to legal advocacy — one that melds lived experience, parental responsibility and tireless pro bono service to protect society’s most vulnerable.

Original source: [W 인터뷰] 장애인권법센터 김예원 변호사 “아이 안고 변론하는 것도 ‘복’이죠” (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Publishing/Research

Scooters, Soup and Solidarity: A Visually Impaired Lawyer’s Fight for Justice

April 17, 2026 No Comments

Kim Ye-won, a lawyer who lost an eye due to a medical accident before birth, is the subject of a newly revised memoir and advocacy book that documents her work defending marginalized people pro bono. The updated edition builds on her 2021 book and reflects on how becoming visually impaired reshaped her view of the world and her practice of law. Published by Woongjin Knowledge House, the book frames her legal work as both professional advocacy and human-rights activism.

Through vivid, humane anecdotes—bringing warm tteok-mandu-guk to a sexual assault victim who feared going hungry that night, sharing snacks and walks in the park with a child caught between warring parents—Kim emphasizes the importance of meeting clients as individuals rather than case numbers. The narrative highlights her close, personal approach to clients, the small gestures that build trust, and the conviction that looking closely at each person reveals deeper needs and a path to recovery. The book also paints the portrait of a tireless lawyer zipping between courts and police stations on a scooter, committed to showing up and bearing witness.

Alongside the memoir, the article introduces a practical companion for victims of crime: “The Art of Filing a Criminal Complaint,” a guide by criminal-law practitioners that demystifies the complaint process. Aimed at people who may be disillusioned by long investigations or unexpected case outcomes, it explains procedures, realistic expectations, and tactical steps from drafting a complaint through trial. With legal explanations, real-world examples, and templates, the guide seeks to help victims pursue redress more effectively without inadvertently harming their own position.

Original source: 킥보드 타고 돈 안되는 사건만 찾아다니는 ‘장애인 변호사’ (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Publishing/Research

Pocket-Sized Human Rights: 20 Kid Questions That Make Rights Simple — and Urgent

April 17, 2026 No Comments

2025.03.24
Kim Ye-won, a veteran public interest lawyer and founder of the Disability Rights Law Center, turns complex rights debates into approachable conversations in her new book, Pocket-Sized Human Rights. Known for providing free legal aid to social minorities and crime victims, she pairs frontline legal work and policy reform to address gaps in the system while also teaching and speaking to raise public sensitivity to human rights issues.

The book uses twenty questions from children to unpack everyday human rights topics, reframing rights not as abstract legalese but as the basic question: “How should people be treated?” Children’s queries repeatedly return to fairness—who gets treated equally, and why some limits are justified—making the book a clear, engaging way to explore concepts like discrimination and hate speech. Kim emphasizes that hate speech isn’t merely rude words but a force that drives people into hiding and excludes them from ordinary life.

Mindful not to be didactic, Kim wrote for young readers’ curiosity and adult reflection alike, aiming for accessible explanations that leave a lasting impact. She donated her advance to the Lighthouse Scholarship (supporting youth victims of crime), reflecting her commitment to vulnerable young people encountered through her legal work. Her central message: human rights are foundational to a sustainable society—protecting dignity helps everyone thrive—and she invites readers to engage confidently with these questions.

Original source: 사소하지만 궁금했던 ‘인권’에 관한 20가지 질문 | 예스24 채널예스 (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Activities

Everyone’s Flowers Bloomed: A Lawyer Uses Film to Illuminate Disability Rights

April 17, 2026 No Comments

2019.03.18 09:30
Kim Ye-won, a public-interest lawyer and well-known disability rights activist, has published a new book collecting her advocacy stories entitled “누구나 꽃이 피었습니다” (Everyone’s Flowers Bloomed). Known for powerful public images—like taking her baby to court—Kim draws on her experiences supporting disabled clients to reveal everyday injustices and the human side of legal work. The book foregrounds real cases and the people behind them, presented in accessible, narrative form for general readers.

A distinctive feature of the book is how Kim uses scenes from popular films as entry points to discuss legal and social issues. For example, she links the sloth workers in Zootopia to the labor realities faced by people with developmental disabilities and uses a scene from the film Marathon to explore barriers to judicial access for disabled individuals. Beyond individual cases, the author explains how to support and advocate for social minorities and details her involvement in both casework and systemic reform efforts.

Kim’s aim was to make rights-focused stories approachable—even for readers who aren’t film fans—by highlighting everyday human rights dilemmas and practical advocacy lessons. She hopes readers take away a simple but powerful message: like flowers that differ in color and scent, diverse people are each inherently dignified. The book offers both compassionate storytelling and concrete insights for activists, legal professionals, and any reader interested in social justice.

Original source: [법조계 신간 엿보기]누구나 꽃이 피었습니다 (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Activities

Stop Making Life Harder for People with Disabilities: Legal Remedies and Practical Steps

April 17, 2026 No Comments

2015.12.14 09:39 article
At a recent training hosted by the Korean Bar Association, Kim Ye-won, team leader and attorney at the Seoul Disability Human Rights Center, highlighted the everyday ways people with disabilities face hidden discrimination. She cited concrete examples—students denied admission because there are no special classes, buildings accessible only by stairs, and refusals to provide reasonable accommodations—and stressed that such barriers are widespread despite existing laws.

Kim reviewed the Disability Discrimination Prevention and Remedies Act, which forbids discrimination across employment, education, goods and services, legal/administrative procedures, voting, family and welfare, health care, and protections for women and children with disabilities. In practice, however, discrimination persists through cost-cutting hiring practices, sexual harassment, lack of accessibility, and various abuses in residential facilities (assault, sexual violence, embezzlement, neglect, and violations of autonomy). She recommended remedies including reporting to the Seoul Disability Human Rights Center (1644-0420), filing complaints with the National Human Rights Commission (1331), and pursuing civil or criminal litigation when appropriate.

For institutions and facility operators, Kim advised documenting confirmed abuses, taking disciplinary action, requesting investigations by human rights bodies or local centers, and providing prevention training to all staff. She also urged consulting relevant officials by phone or email when situations are unclear. Kim closed with a reminder that disability is exacerbated by a non-inclusive society and called for removing social discrimination that makes life harder for people with disabilities. Other speakers at the session included Park Kim Young-hee and attorney Lee Sang-min.

Original source: “장애인 불편하게 만드는 사회적 차별 방지해야” (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Activities

How Public Interest Lawyers and Legal Media Turn Rights into Reality

April 17, 2026 No Comments

2022.12.01 05:16 article
Law is the fundamental tool for protecting and realizing rights, yet the process of enforcing those rights is often unequal. The legal press plays a pivotal role as a focal point for people who need the law, and celebrating its renewed growth highlights the importance of sustained coverage. Political and civil liberties, and the socio-economic rights of marginalized groups, are frequently fragmented and hard to secure without concerted legal and social action.

Since the early 2000s, public interest lawyers have emerged to defend disability rights, LGBTQ+ rights, sex workers, children and youth, migrant workers, and refugees; today more than 150 lawyers work across an expanding field that now includes climate justice, animal rights, and information rights. Early advocates had to develop expertise and organizational capacity with few precedents, but the accumulation of cases and experience has allowed newer areas of public-interest law to take root more quickly.

Sustaining and scaling this work requires institutional support and broader social reflection on how to make public-interest legal work viable long term. Public interest lawyers must combine legal expertise with activism, a dual role that is especially challenging for junior practitioners. If legal media consistently spotlights these efforts and the institutional foundations they need, it can strengthen solidarity, inform public debate, and accelerate the growth of an effective public-interest law movement.

Original source: [창간 72주년 특집][법률신문에 바란다] 법을 통한 권리실현과 법률신문의 역할 (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Activities

Ulsan’s Gangbuk Education Office Launches Human Rights Taskforce to Protect Students with Disabilities

March 2, 2026 No Comments

Ulsan Gangbuk Education Support Office has formed the 2026 Gangbuk Disability Student Human Rights Support Team to strengthen protection and prevention of rights violations for students with disabilities. The initiative aims to activate on-the-ground support in schools and create safer, more inclusive learning environments that promote the well-being and happiness of disabled students.

The support team is composed of 17 regional experts led by the head of the elementary education division, including representatives from schools, the developmental disability support center, disability rights advocacy organizations, a parents’ association, a sexual violence counseling center, disability welfare services, and the local police. The group will conduct monthly visits to institutions across the area, carry out prevention and counseling activities, and prioritize protection of affected students. When rights violations occur, the team will provide immediate protection for victims and offer special support measures for both victims and involved students.

Officials held an appointment ceremony and coordination meeting on February 26 to discuss operational direction and detailed plans. Key agenda items included identifying “Thebom” students (those who have experienced or are at risk of rights violations), assigning roles to committee members, and building an integrated support system to diversify and improve effectiveness. The Gangbuk Education Support Office emphasized strengthening multi-agency, organic cooperation to ensure students’ rights are protected and to foster a culture of empathy toward disability in schools.

Original source: ≪케이에스피뉴스≫ 울산 강북교육지원청, 장애 학생 인권 보호 강화한다 (Source: the news outlet; please refer to the original article.)

In Activities

Visually Impaired Lawyer Kim Yewon Wins Hyupseong Social Contribution Award (₩50M) for Championing the Vulnerable

March 2, 2026 No Comments

On October 24 at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul, attorney Kim Yewon, a visually impaired lawyer and head of the Disability Rights Law Center, received the Hyupseong Social Contribution Award. The prize, presented by Jeong Cheolwon, chairman of Hyupseong Comprehensive Construction and founder of the Hyupseong Cultural Foundation, carries a monetary award of ₩50 million. The foundation, established in 2010, supports social contribution and scholarship initiatives in Busan and beyond.

Kim has provided pro bono legal support for socially vulnerable groups—including women, children, people with disabilities, and migrants—focusing on public-interest litigation rather than financial gain. At the ceremony, Jeong praised her dedication to helping marginalized people and victims of crime, calling her a model legal professional who helps build a warmer society.

Accepting the award, Kim pledged to continue working humbly so that the voices of those who suffer are respected within institutions and society. The recognition underscores the importance of legal aid, disability rights advocacy, and the role of public-interest lawyers in advancing social justice and inclusion.

📌 원본 출처: v.daum.net