July 20 – The inaugural ceremony for the NHRCK’s new Chairperson Hyun Byung-Chul held on July 20.
Mr. Hyun has served as the Dean of Hanyang Cyber University and was appointed as the Chairperson of the NHRCK by the President of the Republic of Korea.
Below is the inaugural address.
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Inaugural Address
Hyun Byung-Chul
20 July 2009
Dear members of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea who are dedicated to not only the promotion and protection of human rights but also the creation of a world where people live in dignity,
First of all, I would like to convey my wholehearted sympathy to the members of the Commission who experienced a sense of loss after the sudden resignation of the former Chair of the Commission.
Although this very moment is the most glorious moment in my life, I stand here, before all of you, under a shadow of great responsibility. Thinking of the grave tasks ahead of the Commission and of the hopes that the Korean people have bestowed on me as a head of the NHRCK, I am overwhelmed.
Above all other things, I would like to ruminate on the spirit that the Commission has possessed from its beginnings. The creation of the NHRCK was the result of the long-wished hopes of the Korean people, the gradual achievement that human rights NGOs had through the years, the will of the Korean government, and the support and demand of the international community.
I am confident about the fact that the Commission has achieved more than a little as an advocate and a defender of human rights during the last seven years. Over these years, the Commission brought irreversible changes to our society. We are confident in saying "The Korean society after the establishment of the NHRCK is different from the one before the creation of the NHRCK."
We have changed individual people’s lives and institutions in our society. We tried to make human rights become a new standard that Ministries of the Korean government must meet when they enact laws and design policies. The Commission endeavored to wipe the tears of the socially underprivileged, and it endeavored to have a sense of human rights soak into the daily lives of people. As a result, the Korean people who face injustice now say, “I will appeal to the NHRCK.” The Commission is genuinely trusted by the people.
Despite a relatively short history, the Commission receives positive recognition from the international human rights community. If states have personalities as people do, the Commission enhanced Korea's personality and gave the Korean people another reason to be proud, as the Commission is itself rightfully a source of national pride.
I appreciate the achievements of the NHRCK and would like to pay my respect to all of you for your effort. However, I would like to use this opportunity to let people not forget that many more tasks are ahead. As my own witness and in front of members of the NHRCK and all the Korean people, I renew my commitment to the completion of what lies ahead.
I will actively follow the achievements that the Commission has made over the last seven years. Specifically, I will faithfully implement the five strategic goals proposed in the three-year Action Plan for the promotion of human rights, which was drawn up by the Commission at the beginning of this year. The five strategic goals -- the securing of basic rights, the promotion of the human rights of children and the elderly, the advancement of the human rights of the economically vulnerable, the build-up of the multicultural society, and the elimination of discrimination against the socially marginalized -- reflect both the human rights realties faced by Korea and the issues that the Commission should address.
The reality that the socially underprivileged faces in the current economic crisis demands more attention from the Commission. National human rights institutions are usually under the obligation to stand by the socially vulnerable while pursuing the public good. Development and advancement is possible when human rights are respected, when society cares about the socially underprivileged, and when society embraces the difficulties these people face. I promise that during my tenure, I will commit myself to the protection of human rights of the socially vulnerable including the poor, disabled, aged, women, children and migrants. I will also try to improve the human rights of the North Korean residents based on the Commission’s dedicated research over the last few years.
Considering that the international community has treated the Commission as a prime example of a well-functioning NHRI, and considering the fact that it was established within the international human rights legal framework, it is crucial for the Commission to strengthen the national implementation of international human rights norms that have been recognized by the international community. Korea has garnered recognition for achieving both rapid economic growth and democracy. As head of the NHRCK, I will try to enhance Korea's positive reputation in the international community and help solidify Korea's position as a leading country in the human rights field.
I firmly believe that the Commission should be independent and that it should not be subject to the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of government.
The Commission is not a political organization. Through its moral authority and communicating with society, the Commission should strive for the promotion of human rights within the spirit and value of the Constitution and under no pressure or interference from outside. This is how the Commission should realize the universal value of human rights. This spirit is rooted in the principle of independence.
I would like to confirm the principle of independence and promise that I will firmly keep this principle from today onwards. Regarding the controversies that the Commission faces, I will find reasonable alternatives based on my experience striking balance between conflicting parties.
Members of the Commission must be relentlessly innovative and try to monitor themselves. The Commission has endeavored to establish a new tradition as a public organization in which staff members communicate with each other regardless of rank. This is a new tradition that we want to create in the culture of our government. I urge all of us to understand the necessity of internal reform and self-monitoring in order to fulfill our responsibility as an independent organization. I hope that we will be loved by the people and looked to as an ideally functioning government agency.
I understand that many people suffered when the Commission was downsized. I will tirelessly attempt to wash these wounds away and to rejuvenate the Commission.
I would also like to call on civic groups, including the human rights NGOs that have devoted themselves to the promotion of human rights in Korea. The NHRCK is a public asset which belongs to the human rights community. The history of its establishment is intertwined with the civil society and their dedication to the creation of the Commission. These human rights groups have had valuable experiences and provided a critical sense to human rights. I hope they will walk with us, sometimes praising our achievements and other times fiercely criticizing our work as partners for human rights.
All the members of the NHRCK,
The Commission is the result of the passion, sweat, and the determination of our staff and many others who longed for a world committed to human rights. We have a mission to cherish and keep this Commission.
I believe that the mission given to the chairperson of the NHRCK is to help people living in this country enjoy their lives free from injustice, suffering, and poverty. I feel burdened with this responsibility. However, I will not hesitate to take up this challenge in its entirety and to perform the tasks before the Commission. This responsibility is mine. For the betterment of our society, the responsibility to promote and protect human rights belongs to us all.
Let us march forward toward the advancement of human rights.
Thank you.
