The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navanethem Pillay, has sent an official letter to the Korean government to guarantee the independence of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (“NHRCK”) on February 25. Amid growing concerns, former commissioners of the NHRCK and law professors around the country also joined the action against the government’s plan to reduce the structure and personnel of the NHRCK, followed by an allegation letter of the Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions (ANNI).
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (“MOFAT”), an official letter from Geneva was sent to the Minister Yu Myung-hwan calling on the government of Korea to reconsider the plan since “any measure that will negatively impact on the NHRCK will directly influence its regional and international reputation and functioning as well.”
The Ministry of Public Administration and Security (“MOPAS”) issued final notice to the NHRCK in February to reduce staff by 30% and close down its three regional offices in Busan, Daegu, and Gwangju. This has sparked concerns among human rights organizations, both at home and abroad.
A series of statements against the MOPAS plan has been issued to date. “Drastic cuts to NHRCK’s staff and structure will not only worsen human rights conditions in Korea but threaten rule of law and democracy as well,” a group of 248 law professors unanimously said in its statement issued on February 25.
“The proposed measures will severely limit the ability of the NHRCK to function as an independent and effective national human rights institution,” ANNI wrote to the Chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) in the March issue of its newsletter, ‘Asian NI Watch,’ recommending the ICC to engage with national and international media to publicize this issue.
In addition, recognizing NHRCK’s independence under serious threat, 16 former commissioners of the NHRCK requested a meeting with President Lee Myung-bak on March 3. “We praise the achievements of the Commission during the last eight years, especially on the international stage. The NHRCK’s independence is imperative in fulfilling the Commission’s role of monitoring human rights violations by public authorities.” The Office of the President (Cheong Wa Dae), however, has rejected the request.
The NHRCK was established in 2001 in accordance with the Paris Principles, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1993, which require national human rights institutions to be autonomous and independent from government in order to better protect and promote human rights in their countries.
