National Human Rights Commission of Korea

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National Human Rights Commission of Korea

국가인권위원회 國家人權委員會 Gukga Ingwon Wiwonhoe
Agency overview
Formed	November 25, 2001
Headquarters	Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Agency executive	Ahn Chang-ho, Chairperson of the Commission
Parent agency	Independent agency
Child agencies	Regional Human Rights Offices Human Rights Library of Korea Human Rights Education Center
Key documents	Constitution of South Korea, sections 10-22 (Korea) National Human Rights Commission Act (Korea) Anti Age Discrimination in Employment Act (Korea) Supporting Non-Student Youth Act (Korea)
Website	Official 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.