Commission's Major Activities
National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2016
police (17,157 or 20.2%), and other national institutions (6,706 or 7.9%). Complaints related
with detention facilities, protective facilities, and police accounted for the most number of
complaints. Notably, following a rapid increase in complaints related with protective facilities
since 2010, the number decreased slightly in 2016. Also, a steady rise has been observed in the
number of complaints related to schools and public service-related organizations, which became
subject to investigations through the amendment of the NHRC Act in 2012.
B. Statistics of complaints handled
Over the last three years, more than 8,000 human rights abuse complaints were received and
handled. In 2016, there were 333 less complaints received and 383 less complaints handled than
in 2015.
In 2016, 330 human rights violation complaints were accepted, which is 88 (21.1%) less
than in 2015. This is largely due to a decrease in the number of cases closed by settlement (155
or 56% less). On the other hand, cases resulting in recommendations increased by 42 (32.3%)
and cases resulting in conciliation rose from zero to nine. This result can be attributed to the
Commission’s active remedial and conciliation efforts.
[Table 2-2-2] Human rights abuse complaints handled in the last five years
(in number of cases)
Accepted
Year
Received
Cumu84,939
lative
Handled
Total
83,055 3,923
Charged
or investigation requested
Not accepted
Disciplinary
Legal
EmerClosed
action
Recomaid re- Conciliagency
by settleRejected
recommendation
quest- tion
relief
ment
mended
ed
134
102
10
2,033 1,612
19
7
-
172
122
2016
8,167
8,412
330
2015
8,500
8,795
418
8
3
-
130
2014
8,708
8,093
329
21
2
-
76
2013
7,457
7,450
360
1
2
-
2012
6,946
6,931
264
2
1
1
19
Transferred
Investigation
dismissed suspended
13 52,185 1,214 25,243
1
9
5,424
82
2,556
20
277
-
-
5,416
79
2,830
52
229
1
-
5,180
48
2,496
40
113
242
2
-
4,542
18
2,512
18
155
103
2
-
4,391
22
2,230
24
* Handled cases: Cases received and closed in 2016 + cases that were carried forward and closed
* Of the cases rejected, the cumulative total of those dropped by the complainant is 34,412, with 3,807 dropped in 2016.
* The cumulative figures total the numbers from the time the Commission was established (25 November 2001) to 31 December 2016.
48
490