By Kwon Mee-yoo
Designated honorees of the Republic of Korea Human Rights Awards given by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) said Friday they would refuse the awards, claiming that “the NHRCK was not qualified to give them.” The awards are intended to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Dec. 10.
The human rights watchdog has become the object of controversy after current chief Hyun Byung-chul took office in July 2009. Civic organizations opposed Hyun’s designation as he lacked experience in human rights affairs. He was a law professor at Hanyang University before being appointed chairman.
Kim Eun-chong, a high school senior who won the human rights essay contest with a piece titled “A School with a Press But No Public Opinion,” also emphasized her intent not to receive the award from Hyun through another essay “Hyun Byung-chul’s NHRCK Is Not Qualified to Give Awards.”
Lee Sang-yun, winner of the human rights dissertation competition, said he would refuse the award as well. He won the student’s section of the contest with a thesis of “Being Me — Transsexual as a Sexual Minority.”
Lee said, “I was first glad to receive the award, but soon was in torment when I saw a brave high school student refusing to be awarded. Her courage was brighter than my black heart and I rejected the award as well under the name of hope. This hope aims to make Hyun resign and normalize the NHRCK.”
“There is no reason to accept an award when the NHRCK is being run arbitrarily by Chairman Hyun and the commission’s very independence is in jeopardy,” said Somotu, president of the Migrant Workers TV, winner of the Chairman’s Commendation.
The Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea, which was awarded the top prize in the human rights paper competition for its “Unseen Workers: Analysis of Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities in the Workplace,” also declined the honor.
Another civic organization, Society for Awareness and Development of Disabled, attended the ceremony Friday, but did not accept the award given by Hyun, claiming that Hyun failed to operate the watchdog independently and thus was unqualified to present the human rights awards.