Army Sergeant Major's Human Rights Commission Complaint Against Army Chief of Staff 'Dismissed'

National Human Rights Commission of Korea building. Photo by Human Rights Commission

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] It has been confirmed that a complaint filed by some Army master sergeants against Army Chief of Staff Nam Young-shin to the National Human Rights Commission was dismissed.

According to the Human Rights Commission on the 4th, the Commission's First Committee on Remedies for Violations decided to dismiss the complaint filed by some Army master sergeants last month. The Commission reportedly made this decision on the grounds that Chief of Staff Nam's remarks were intended to promote a military culture that respects ranks and were not deemed to infringe upon the personal rights of non-commissioned officers.

In December of last year, some Army master sergeants filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, claiming that Chief of Staff Nam stated in a meeting that "it is natural for officers to give orders in informal language," which they argued violated their personal rights.

In response, the Army stated, "The context before and after Chief Nam's remarks was not considered, and the intent and meaning of the remarks were distorted." The Army explained, "The point was that during mission execution, it is more important to respect rank and carry out orders rather than emphasizing age first," adding, "It does not mean that informal language should be considered natural."

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