Kim Jong-chul

Kim Jong-chul is the founder and former Director of the Advocates for Public Interest Law. He has worked tirelessly as an attorney to ensure justice for victims of human trafficking and as a researcher whose groundbreaking investigative findings have shed light on the issue of forced labor in South Korea and around the world.

Mr. Kim’s renowned research studies are based on his meticulous on-the-ground investigations. His findings have increased understanding of forced labor and other human rights abuses across multiple countries and industries, including seafood in East Asia, cotton in Uzbekistan, steel mills in India, electronics in Mexico, palm oil in Indonesia, and garments in Bangladesh.

Through Mr. Kim’s criminal litigation work and administrative advocacy on behalf of trafficking victims, he has fought to prevent the detention and deportation of sex trafficking victims and to secure convictions against fishing companies and individuals for sex and labor trafficking. As a recognized subject matter expert on human trafficking, he has worked extensively with South Korean members of parliament to craft a law that strengthens regulations to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent human trafficking.