69. In response, the Korean government revised the article 12 of the “Enforcement Decree of the North Korean Refugees Protection and Settlement Support Act” on 24 December 2018 and shortened the provisional protection period of North Korean refugees from 180 to 90 days. 70. However, such measures by the Korean Government cannot be seen as full compliance with the recommendations of the Committee against Torture and the UNHRC. Furthermore, no institutional improvement plans have been established to ensure the right to legal counsel since the review on North Korean refugees includes face to face interview and guarantee the right to an independent review and to appeal the decision regarding deportation to third countries. Questions 71. Please define your position and reasons for the opinion that the right to legal counsel should be ensured for the persons escaping the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea during the entire period of provisional protection, which is provided for national security, and the period and method of investigation should be strictly in accordance with international human rights standards, including the doctrine of warrants in the article 9-4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 72. In addition, please present your position and reasons for the opinion that a clear and transparent procedure should be adopted to provide appropriate and independent review before deporting North Korean refugees to third countries. 27