Conditioning public access to courts-martial

ChosunBiz reports here on a recent decision of South Korea's National Human Rights Commission. At issue was, among other things, whether spectators at a court-martial could be required to sign a pledge not to bring in their cellphones during proceedings. Excerpt:

[T]he NHRC said it determined that "the Court-martial's requiring the submission of a pledge when entering a military unit" lacks a legal basis and could infringe on freedom of conscience under the Constitution, and that "the current environment for observing military trials" could undermine the effective guarantee of the constitutional right to know and the principle of open trials.

The NHRC conveyed the opinion to the Minister of the Ministry of National Defense that, instead of a pledge, there is a need to receive the submission of a "guidance and acknowledgment form on the protection of military secrets, etc." and to issue a copy. It added that it is also necessary to prepare and implement measures to enhance spectators' accessibility to the Court-martial (a mid- to long-term roadmap, such as installing an off-base entrance for the Court-martial).

The Commission's last point is interesting. At the UK's Military Court Centres, it is possible to enter the courtroom area directly from a public parking lot. From the government website:

The courts are located on the perimeter of a military establishment. This design provides public access to the Service Courts. The public entrance is staffed by the personnel from Military Provost Guard Service who employ security screening checks as a condition of entry.