The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) attended an international conference on national human rights institutions in Beijing, China on October 4 - 6, 2006. The subject was protection of human rights and the role of Chinese national agencies. As the first international conference of its kind in China, the conference was held jointly by the Raoul Wallenburg Institute of Sweden and the Human Rights Institute of China University of Political Science and Law in preparation for the establishment of a national human rights institution in China, with distinguished Chinese academics and political leaders at the center.
Considering the NHRCK to be the most effective human rights committee in Asia, the host invited a representative of the NHRCK in order to hear about its operational experience and seek advice on ways to protect and promote human rights. Prof. Nohyun Kwak, secretary-general of the NHRCK attended the conference, with about 60 persons including professors at China University of Political Science and Law, government officials, group leaders related with human rights, and researchers at colleges.
Prof. Kwak made a presentation on the experience and lessons of the NHRCK. In the meantime, Chinese participants provided insights on what kind of consideration is being given from the perspective of human rights in the administrative process of Chinese state agencies. Attendees engaged in heated debate on the implications of the current situation in China in light of national human rights institutions including the NHRCK, international human rights standards, and the Paris principles. Participants expressed especially strong interest in the progress and experience of the NHRCK.
As a leading human rights institution in the Asia-Pacific, the NHRCK has designated safeguarding of human rights and support for establishment of human rights institutions in Asia as one of its core tasks for its second term. On the upcoming occasion of the establishment of a Chinese national human rights institution, the conference was meaningful toward building a mechanism conducive to protecting human rights in Northeast Asia.
