(November 16, 2010) The recent mass resignations of members of the National Human
Rights Commission of Korea, NHRCK, reflects the worsening human rights situation in
South Korea, the Asian Human Rights Commission says. The Hong Kong-based Asian Human
Rights Commission, AHRC, said that the NHRCK, “which had been hailed as a model for
other countries in the region,” has now significantly deteriorated due to the appointment
of members who have “limited or no expertise” in the human rights field. Sixty-one
of the 160 NHRCK committee members resigned and held a press conference on Monday
in which they demanded that commission chairman Hyun Byung-chul resign immediately
for failing to investigate issues that might embarrass the government. “Many worries
have come true” after Hyun, who lacks experience handling human rights activities,
took office in July 2009, said Andrew Kim Duck-jin, one of the 61 members who have
resigned. Kim who is also secretary-general of the Catholic Human Rights Committee
noted that the NHRCK under Hyun’s leadership “has kept silent on sensitive human rights
violations directly related to the government.” The AHRC also sent an open letter
on Monday to the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions
asking them to take necessary measures available to resolve Korea’s worsening human
rights situation.