In a significant development, 28 former members of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK), including previous chairpersons Song Doo-hwan, Choi Young-ae, and Ahn Kyung-hwan, have issued a statement demanding the immediate resignation of current Chairperson Ahn Chang-ho and Standing Commissioner Kim Yong-won. This collective call for resignation from former chairpersons is unprecedented since the commission’s establishment in 2001.
The former chairpersons, together with past standing and non-standing commissioners, and secretaries-general, announced their demand at a press release. They argued that the leadership of Ahn Chang-ho and Kim Yong-won, amid what they described as a post-Yoon Suk-yeol insurrection era, has led the NHRCK away from its mission, urging both to step down immediately. This highlights a grave situation within the commission, as even senior staff members are openly calling for leadership change.
The statement addressed several issues, such as Ahn Chang-ho’s overt discriminatory views against sexual minorities and his role in stalling legislative efforts for anti-discrimination laws, pointing out that his actions go against the founding principles and significance of the commission. Likewise, Kim Yong-won has been criticized for inappropriate behavior that has allegedly brought ridicule to the commission and resulted in unprecedented investigative scrutiny over the handling of specific incidents.
The former leaders emphasized that the commission serves as the last bastion of human rights, and the initial step to recovery is the resignation of Ahn and Kim. They pledged support to the commission’s employees who have courageously called for their resignation using their real names, aligning with their stance for immediate leadership change in the NHRCK.