National Human Rights Commission of Korea

National Human Rights Commission of Korea
국가인권위원회
國家人權委員會
Gukga Ingwon Wiwonhoe
Agency overview
FormedNovember 25, 2001
HeadquartersJung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Agency executive
Parent agencyIndependent agency
Child agencies
Key documents
WebsiteOfficial English Site

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (abbreviated to NHRCK; Korean: 국가인권위원회; Hanja: 國家人權委員會; RR: Gukga Ingwon Wiwonhoe) is the independent commission for protecting, advocating and promoting human rights in South Korea. This commission, by law, is guaranteed the independent status regarding all human rights issues in South Korea. According to judgment of Constitutional Court of Korea in year 2010,[1] NHRCK is an independent agency inside executive branch of South Korean government.[2]

This commission was established on November 25, 2001, under the National Human Rights Commission Act. Fulfilling an election pledge of then-President and 2000 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kim Dae-Jung, the commission was launched as an independent governmental body. It functions in accordance with the Principles relating to the status and functioning of national human rights institutions for protection and promotion of human rights (Paris Principles) adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1993.

The NHRCK has been a full member of the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) and the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (ICC) since 2002. It was accredited in 2004 with an "A status" in the ICC. It served as chair of the APF in 2004 and 2007 and as vice-chair in 2005 and 2008. It also served as a member of the ICC Sub-Committee on Accreditation (2007~09). It hosted the 7th International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions (ICNI) in Seoul in September 2004.

  1. ^ "2009Hun-Ra6, October 28, 2010" (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  2. ^ "Kim, J. (2013). Constitutional Law. In: Introduction to Korean Law. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. pp. 52-54". Retrieved 2022-05-01.