ANNUAL REPORT 2015 N. ‌Research to prepare for the proposals of recommendations to be included in the 3rd NAP Whenever the government formulated the 1st (2007-2011) and 2nd (2012-2016) NAP for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the Commission took initiative and recommended items to be included in the upcoming NAP in advance. Now that the government is about to prepare the 3rd NAP, the Commission conducted research on three sectors (including marginalized and socially vulnerable people, right to freedom, and social rights) from July to December, in order to: 1. review the progress of implementation of the 1st and 2nd NAP recommendations; and 2. come up with a new proposal of recommendations for the 3rd NAP. O. ‌Survey on protection of the right to defense ensured to the socially vulnerable throughout criminal and judicial procedures The Commission conducted a survey on protection of the right to defense for the disabled, children and youth, and foreigners throughout the criminal and judicial procedures from June to December. In the process, the Commission has: 1. ‌‌conducted a review on the international standards and foreign cases regarding the right to defense for the socially vulnerable throughout the criminal and judicial procedures; and 2. ‌had an in-depth interview with experts to analyze the existing provisions related to: (1) the right to have the assistance of defense counsel, (2) announcement of rights, (3) videorecorded product, (4) presence of persons with a reliable relationship, and (5) the right to refuse to make statements. Through the results, the Commission learned the necessary measures to make improvements. These include: 1. diversifying the methods for the notice of grounds; 2. institutionalizing the compulsory presence of persons with a reliable relationship; 3. allowing the interrogation of criminal suspects based on audio- or video-recorded products; and 4. fostering dedicated interpreters. 50 | National Human Rights Commission of Korea