June 30 - Chairperson Ahn Kyong-Whan announced his resignation today and submitted a letter of resignation to the Presidential Office (Cheong Wa Dae).
He has served as Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea since October 2006 and his term of office was expected to expire on October 29, 2009.
Below is the resignation statement.
Resignation Statement
Kyong-Whan Ahn
June 30, 2009
I hereby resign as Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (“NHRCK”). Although I would be obligated to fulfill my mandate until my term expires on October 29, 2009, I am resigning today in view of the fact that the NHRCK intends to run for Chair of the International Co-ordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (“ICC”). The next Chair of the ICC will have a three-year term to commence in March 2010, and the NHRCK is expected to be nominated for Chair of the ICC during the 14PthP Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Forum (“APF”), to be held August 3–6, 2009 in Jordan.
I sincerely hope that through the prompt appointment of a qualified successor, the NHRCK will restore its international reputation and regain the confidence of the international community. It is my hope that with the support of Korean government and society, the NHRCK will successfully take up the position of ICC Chair and continue to be a leading national human rights institution. In my tenure as Chairperson, I earnestly tried to enhance our nation’s reputation and status in the international society. As a Korean citizen, I will continue to be devoted to the advancement of our nation.
*****
