Critics bolster campaign against head of National Human Rights Commission


Opposition parties and civic activists are up in arms against the government’s attempt to grant a second term to Hyun Byung-chul, the controversial chief of the National Human Rights Commission.

They cited his past record of racist remarks, ignorance of minorities in politically sensitive situations and violation of public servant rules.

While Hyun awaits the National Assembly’s approval through the first-ever confirmation hearing for the post, the opposition and civic societies are holding street protests demanding his resignation or the administration’s withdrawal of his nomination.

“Hyun has been nothing but a disappointment during his term from 2009. He was far from respecting human rights and has a bad reputation for abusing them,” Rep. Song Ho-chang of the main opposition Democratic United Party said on Monday. Alongside Song about 300 representatives of human rights groups held a press conference at the National Assembly, denouncing Hyun.

The moves came after the government requested last week that parliament hold a hearing for Hyun, whose three-year term ends on July 20. However, the lawmakers have yet to set the date due to opposition.

Rep. Sul Hun of the DUP on Monday revealed that Hyun pocketed 13 million won ($11,300) by giving 30 lectures outside the NHRC. Hyun’s predecessor, Ahn Kyong-whan, gave pro bono speeches and refused fees. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission banned high-ranking officials from receiving more than 400,000 won a lecture, but it was revealed that Hyun demanded 550,000 won a session.

Sul also claimed that Hyun used more than 125 million won on 10 overseas trips, which mostly consisted of entertainment rather than work.

“On one occasion he went to Brussels to attend a four-hour meeting and stayed there for seven days costing 14 million won,” he said.

Insiders also stood up to “spill the beans” about Hyun.

Chang Ju-young, a member of the non-standing committee of the NHRC, resigned last month when the administration nominated Hyun again. In 2010, two standing committee members and professor Cho Kuk, a non-standing committees member, resigned to oppose Hyun.

A teenager who was nominated as an award recipient for an NHRC campaign refused the prize because of Hyun, and a group of journalists also vetoed an NHRC prize slated to be awarded by Hyun. A group of civic activists have been holding one man protests in front of the NHRC headquarters in central Seoul since June 22.

They revealed that Hyun has made unilateral decisions to ignore some of the most sensitive issues that could be critical to the current government.

Hyun reportedly said, “I don’t care even if it is a dictatorial decision,” when withdrawing the members’ request to investigate the police’s excessive suppression of protestors against the redevelopment of Yongsan in Seoul in 2009, which caused the deaths of five protesters and one police officer.

In a survey of 86 NHRC workers, 90 percent said human rights promotion in the organization has regressed since Hyun took office. About 85 percent said they do not expect Hyun to contribute to human rights promotion in the future, saying that Hyun, a law professor, lacks insight into the issues.

Hyun also made headlines when he called Africans “n------” and said, “I never thought we had gender discrimination in Korea.”

However, Hyun showed a willingness to extend his tenure. The government and ruling Saenuri Party, which support him for his “deep understanding in the North Korean human rights issues,” also stuck by him.

Rep. Kim Gi-hyun, vice floor leader of the Saenuri Party, asked the opposition to hold the questioning.

“There are things that need to be done and questioning Hyun is one of them,” he said. The party has yet to respond to the public outcry against Hyun.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)