Human Rights Commission Given Authority Begins Discussion on Ex Officio Investigation

Decisions Made Through Meetings Such as So-wi and Jeon-won-wi
Timing of Each Committee Meeting Undecided

National Human Rights Commission building. Photo by Human Rights Commission

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] The National Human Rights Commission, which will investigate the truth behind the sexual harassment allegations against the late former Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, has begun discussions on whether to conduct an ex officio investigation into the matter.

A Human Rights Commission official said in a phone call on the 29th, "A petition requesting an ex officio investigation has been received, and we have started reviewing it. The decision will be made through subcommittees and the plenary committee in the future." The dates for these committee meetings have not yet been set.

An ex officio investigation by the Human Rights Commission refers to the commission directly conducting an investigation even if the parties involved have not filed a complaint, when human rights violations or discriminatory acts are confirmed. While it has the same effect as a complaint investigation, the scope of the investigation can be broader than the specific complaint depending on the commission’s judgment. However, there are doubts about whether the commission, which has waited for more than two weeks after the victim publicly disclosed the abuse at a press conference, will actively proceed with an ex officio investigation. This is linked to concerns that the commission might respond passively to cases related to the ruling party.

Although Chairperson Choi Young-ae, head of the Human Rights Commission, has the advantage of being well-versed in sexual crime cases as a former director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, there is also a view that she might feel burdened investigating figures from the ruling party. Chairperson Choi served as a member of the Democratic United Party (now the Democratic Party of Korea) nomination screening committee in 2012 and was the chairperson of the Seoul Human Rights Commission during the tenure of the late former Mayor Park in 2016. Lawyer Kim Jae-ryeon, who is representing the victim, said in response to a question about whether the Human Rights Commission’s investigation can be trusted, "I believe the commission will actively handle this. It is appropriate for the Human Rights Commission to conduct the investigation."

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