Rights agency chief wont budge

Chairman Hyun Byung-chul snubs growing call for resignation

By Lee Hyo-sik

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Hyun Byung-chul vowed to hold onto his job by all means Tuesday, dismissing growing calls for his resignation from within and outside the organization.

In a statement uploaded on the agency’s website, he argued that those calling for his resignation have misunderstood his remarks and that what he said and did has been greatly distorted, engineered by opponents and some media outlets.

“I had initially intended to wait until things calmed down. But a number of statements made by people demanding my resignation and reports by some media outlets have distorted the facts,” he said.

The chairman said it was regrettable that three commissioners felt the need to step down and that he is sorry to the public for raising concerns.

“I am worried that the internal strife within the commission may develop into a political dispute. It is undesirable for the independence of the human rights agency to be compromised by outsiders. By holding up the principles of protecting human rights, I will perform my duties,” Hyun said, indicating that he has no intention of stepping down from his post.

The escalating internal conflict surfaced early this month when two standing commissioners and a non-standing commissioner resigned to show their disapproval of Hyun. Several staff workers also publicly denounced his policies, raising tensions within the organization.

Hyun has been blamed for overlooking thorny but significant issues dealing with the protection of human rights such as the investigation methods of the prosecution and the ban on nighttime rallies. These issues have been supported by many of the agency staff, but Hyun has allegedly prevented discussions on them.

On Monday, about one-third of the 160 non-regular advisory staffers, 61 people offered to resign in protest of Hyun, who they claim was “politically biased.” Among those who tendered letters of resignation are former environment minister Sohn Sook; Ven. Myeongjin, former head monk of Bongeun Temple and Kim Seong-su, lawyer.

Hyun stressed that the commission decides its position on all issues after a series of debates among its 11 commissioners, recommended by the President, the National Assembly and the Supreme Court, dismissing allegations that he exerted undue influence on controversial human rights issues.

현병철 국가인권위원회 위원장이 잇따르고 있는 안팎의 사퇴 요구를 거부했다.

현 위원장은 16일 ‘국민 여러분께 드리는 말씀-최근 논란과 관련한 국가인권위원장 입장’이라는 제목의 글을 통해 “묵묵히 사태의 진정을 기다렸으나 각종 성명, 논평이나 보도가 사실과 너무 다른 양상으로 가고 있다”며 일부 발언이 왜곡된 점이 있다고 밝혔다.

이어 “세 인권위원 사임에 따른 논란으로 국민들에게 심려를 끼친 점을 매우 송구스럽게 생각한다”면서도 “(이 사안이) 결과적으로 정치 쟁점화되고 불신감이 확대되지 않을까 우려한다”고 말했다.

인권위의 위촉을 받은 전문위원과 자문위원, 상담위원 등 61명이 15일 동반 사퇴서를 제출하며 현 위원장의 퇴진을 요구한 데 대해서는 수용하지 않겠다는 뜻을 분명히 했다.