The Busan and Gwangju regional offices of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) passed their second anniversaries on October 11 and 12, respectively. Since their opening in 2006, the two offices have increased local access to human rights and have focused on the creation of an environment conducive to human rights protection by visiting places that are vulnerable in terms of human rights.
The Busan Regional Office has handled a total of 7,041 cases of complaints, counseling and information requests over the past two years. An annual breakdown reveals that the office addressed 350 cases in 2005, 3,466 cases in 2006, and 3,225 cases up until October 11, 2007. Among these, there were 1,800 cases of human rights counseling and 239 cases of discrimination counseling. Although most counseling cases are regarding human rights abuses, the frequency of requests for counseling concerning discriminatory acts is on the rise.
Human rights violations constituted the majority of complaints accepted for investigation. Of 565 complaints, 495 cases (87.6%) were associated with Human Rights Infringements, while 58 cases (10.3%) were regarding Discriminatory Acts and 7 cases (1.2%) were classified as other. Furthermore, the authority to investigate detention facilities was granted to the regional offices on September 1, 2006, resulting in 117 complaints submitted as of October 11, 2007. Among the 117 cases, 38 are under investigation and 79 have been concluded (1 case pursued; 78 cases rejected).
In addition, the Busan Regional Office has explored ways to collaborate practically with the local community, through meetings with local human rights groups, taking part in local events, and seeking opinions of local organizations in regards to a variety of issues. Such activities to allow room for local organizations to voice their opinions include “Listening to Human Rights Issues in Busan, Ulsan and the Gyeongnam Region and “Let's Work Together, Human Rights!,” which is an event to raise awareness and spread the human rights culture in Korea. Additionally, there is an event called, “Planting Human Rights Trees Event,” held each Arbor Day, in collaboration with the Busan Detention Center.
The Gwangju Regional Office has been responsible for Gwangju, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk and the Jeju Island Self-Governing Province. Up until September 30, 2007, 528 complaints, 1,940 counseling cases, and 2,243 information requests or civil petitions have been handled by the office. Some 1,275 applications have been submitted for an in-person consultation to file a complaint, and all applications have been handled to date. In order to increase local residents’ access to human rights, staff members of the Regional Office conduct quarterly field visit consultations. Seven rounds of such counseling have taken place to date. Most recently, office employees visited Gangjin-gun, Jeonnam on Friday, October 19, 2007 to conduct human rights counseling. Moreover, the office is preparing to appoint local experts with expertise in human rights and counseling (lawyers, psychiatrists, human rights activists, etc.) as specialized counselors to further improve counseling services.
The Gwangju Regional Office has urged a range of facilities, including detention centers and protection facilities to install NHRCK complaint boxes to ensure the inmates and residents have access to the Commission, and the office has begun using complaints submitted to the boxes during field inspections. The NHRCK Gwangju Regional Office is creating a venue for human rights activists to discuss solutions to human rights issues in the community on a quarterly basis. The office is also making efforts to develop policy solutions and to identify the actual situation of human rights through a variety of investigations.
Tasks of the NHRCK Regional Offices include:
- providing human rights counseling and handling complaints;
- interviewing complainants in detainment facilities or protective facilities to listen to their complaints in person, as well as installing and managing complaint boxes;
- investigating cases designated for investigation by the NHRCK Chairperson, including cases from complainants in detention facilities hoping for an in-person interview with an NHRCK employee to file a complaint;
- conducting preliminary investigations into human rights violations or discriminatory acts requiring urgent action, as well as providing relief;
- inspecting the status of recommendations issued by the Commission;
- providing support for investigations from the Commission’s headquarters; and
- providing human rights education and public relations, as well as engaging in cooperation and exchanges with relevant agencies and groups.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001, offering investigation and remedy services for Korean citizens and foreigners residing in Korea against human rights violations and discrimination. The Commission provides policy recommendations and remedial action against human rights infringements, collaborates with international human rights organizations and implements educational programs to improve the human rights culture.
