Chairperson Kyong-Whan Ahn of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) and staff of the Commission held a luncheon with President Roh in the presidential office of Cheongwandae on August 21, 2007. The meeting was held at the request of the Commission, in accordance with Article 29(2) of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea Act. This Article stipulates that the Commission may make a special request to meet with the President or the National Assembly, when deemed necessary.
The President of the Republic of Korea and the presidential senior secretaries for civil affairs and social policies, as well as the Presidential Secretary for Legal Affairs attended the meeting. Among participants from the Commission were Chairperson Kyong-Whan Ahn, standing commissioners Young-Ae Choi, Gang-Ja Chung, and Ho-Jun Kim, and Secretary-General Chil-Jun Kim.
At the luncheon, Chairperson Ahn explained the role and activities of the Commission over the past six years, since establishment in November of 2001. The President and the Chairperson exchanged opinions on issues of human rights in Korean society and members of the Commission requested the government to take a more proactive role in exploring solutions to serious human rights issues in Korea.
For implementation of core projects, such as (i) enactment of the Discrimination Prohibition Act; (ii) comprehensive review of the enactment and effectiveness of the Act on Prohibition of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities; and (iii) enactment of the Human Rights Education Act, the Commission called for unconditional support from concerned ministries. These projects are intended to institutionalize the eradication of discrimination in Korean society and raise public awareness of human rights.
Expressing his gratitude and encouragement to the Commission for past efforts, President Roh said, “The launch of the Commission in 2001 under the People’s Government was a brilliant achievement. The government focused on strengthening the role of Ombudsmen, like the Commission and the Korea Independent Commission against Corruption. The Commission has become highly effective and specialized as a result. It has made a huge contribution these past six years to the establishment of the framework for upholding human rights in Korean society and fully institutionalizing the concept of human rights in government agencies.”
The President provided further encouragement, saying, “Although it has only been in operation for only a short time, the Commission has already cemented its position as an effective human rights agency, serving as the vice chair of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) and the chair of the Asian-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF). Additionally, I received a report stating that countries with no human rights commissions, including Japan and China, are benchmarking the Commission’s work as enhancing human rights in a developing nation.”
The President urged the Commission to “handle properly human rights issues that the government or society might leave unnoticed.” President Roh also asked the government to “cooperate fully with the Commission in its goal to ensure implementation of recommendations, and render support to the Commission for a seamless completion of projects.”
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea was established in 2001 to promote human rights education and defend those who have experienced discrimination, or have had a right violated, in Korea. The Commission offers counseling, full investigation and protection for citizens, along with educational initiatives for organizations.
