The National Human Rights Commission on Friday said it has started an internal investigation into allegations that its commissioner Hyun Byung-chul has the abused rights of disabled people.

The probe is expected to influence President Lee Myung-bak’s plan to reappoint him for a second term despite fierce opposition from political and civic circles as well as some commission officials.

A committee under the NHRC on Thursday decided to investigate him following a petition filed by Rep. Chung Ha-na of the Democratic United Party and 79 others claiming that Hyun infringed upon rights of disabled people by driving them into an extreme cold which resulted in the death of a protester.

According to the petition, Hyun ordered a power cut and halted operations of the heating system and elevators of the commission building in early December 2010 when a group of heavily disabled people held a rally on the 11th floor there to protest the organization’s reduced budget for disabled people’s rights. Hyun also reportedly ordered the staff workers to block all food supplies for the participants.

The extreme coldness and inconvenience in mobilization led to the pneumonia-induced death of Woo Dong-min, a disabled people’s rights activist, the petitioners claimed.

Officers will study whether the power cut has actually taken place and that the orders came from Hyun. Hyun has previously denied the accusation at the public hearing of the National Assembly for his reappointment last month, inviting heavy ridicule from the audience of disabled people.

A field insider who declined to be named said Hyun’s opponents are expecting the investigation could give President Lee second thoughts about reappointing Hyun. “Even the ruling Saenuri Party expressed regrets about the president’s decision. It seems that Hyun is facing criticism from all sides,” he said.

To much dismay of relevant circles claiming that Hyun has little experience in human rights management and proved little competence during his previous term in protecting and enhancing people’s rights, Lee showed strong determination to retain him in the post. Hyun’s term ended on July 20. But since no one else was appointed, Hyun remains in his seat.

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