Korea Human Rights Commission Urges Fast-Track Corporate Due Diligence Law

On August 20, 2026, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea urged the National Assembly to fast-track legislation requiring corporate human rights due diligence covering both domestic business operations and global supply chains. South Korea is simultaneously finalizing its KSSB 1 and 2 sustainability reporting framework, which will require large KOSPI-listed companies to disclose material human rights risks from FY2027. The combination — a mandatory disclosure framework plus a push for a binding conduct standard — mirrors the EU's CSRD/CSDDD architecture and signals that the global supply-chain due-diligence regime is extending to a major manufacturing and export hub. Multinational companies sourcing from or operating in Korea, and law firms advising those clients, should begin assessing how a Korean duty-of-care law would interact with existing CSDDD and UFLPA compliance frameworks.