Supreme Court Chief Justice Nominates Kang Jeong-hye and Kim Yong-jik as New National Human Rights Commissioners

Kang Jeong-hye, Activities in Anti-Corruption and Past Affairs Committees... Expertise in Environmental Pollution Disputes
Kim Yong-jik 'Godfather of Autism'... Led the Birth of the Developmental Disabilities Act

On the 19th, Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae appointed Kang Jeong-hye (59, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 21), a professor at the Seoul National University of Science and Technology Law School, and Kim Yong-jik (68, class 12), a lawyer at the law firm KCL, as new non-standing members of the National Human Rights Commission.

Professor Kang Jeong-hye (left) · Lawyer Kim Yong-jik

Professor Kang, who succeeded human rights commissioner Yoon Seok-hee who retired on the 18th, has been practicing law since 1992 and moved to the Seoul National University of Science and Technology Law Department in 2005. She served as a non-standing member of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission from 2007 to 2010, and has held positions such as a member of the Legislation Interpretation Deliberation Committee at the Ministry of Government Legislation, a non-standing member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and a member of the Central Environmental Dispute Mediation Committee. Her areas of expertise include international trade law and commercial law, and she has authored numerous papers on litigation and dispute mediation related to environmental pollution damage. The Supreme Court stated, "Based on her profound legal knowledge and warm perspective on society, she has engaged in various activities and research to protect the rights and interests of the public in the public sector and academia."

Lawyer Kim was appointed as the successor to human rights commissioner Han Soo-woong, who will retire on the 29th of this month. He was commissioned as a judge at the Seoul District Court Eastern Branch in 1985 and served as a research judge at the Supreme Court before practicing law since 2001. As a parent of a child with a disability, he founded the "Korea Autism Love Association" in 2006 and has served as its president to date. In 2014, he co-led the Developmental Disabilities Legislation Promotion Coalition, spearheading the enactment of related laws. The Supreme Court explained, "He is called the godfather of autism rights protection and has devoted half of his life to volunteer activities for socially marginalized groups such as people with autism spectrum disorder, faithfully fulfilling his social role and responsibilities as a legal professional."

Human rights commissioners are elected by the National Assembly (4 members), appointed by the President (4 members), and appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (3 members). Their term is three years. The commission consists of one chairperson, three standing members, and seven non-standing members.

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