Introduction Chapter 2 National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2016 Domestic and International Environment Domestic environment The 2016 lawsuits, one involving toxic disinfectants for humidifiers and another in which a female worker was forced to leave her job ahead of her marriage, highlighted business managers’abuse of human rights and potential negative impacts they have on society at large. A number of deeply controversial human rights cases occurred in 2016, including the random killing of a woman near Gangnam station, a ban on rallies near the presidential office, deaths at Busan penitentiary, atrocities in a housing facility for the disabled, a mentally disabled person forced into slavery in a cattle shed, and industrial accidents and deaths of subcontracted workers. On the other hand, the decision by the Constitutional Court that Article 24 of the Mental Health Act was unconstitutional because it forced hospitalization on the mentally disabled, thus violating their personal freedom, opened the way for improved human rights conditions for people with mental disabilities. By the end of 2016, 97 local governments (including 16 metropolitan cities and provinces) have enacted ordinances on human rights and expanded human rights-related organizations such as human rights commissions and centers as part of increased efforts to promote human rights protection for their residents. Also, the North Korean Human Rights Act, which had been discussed since 2005, was finally passed in September 2016. International environment In December 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution that affirmed the role and importance of national human rights institutions as it sought to expand the influence of these organizations on the international community, including increased participation in the UN discussion process. For the first time since gaining membership to the United Nations, Korea was elected in 2015 to head the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2016. 6