National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2015 Part II K. ‌Recommendation to ensure the citizens’ right to access and use environmental information from, and to participate in the process of, public projects The result of the survey suggested that providing information and allowing more participation may prevent unnecessary dispute and ensure the transparent and responsible progress of public projects. While the legal basis for these measures was already in place, however, citizens found the measures unsatisfactory. Therefore, the Commission issued a recommendation on December 23rd to the Minister of Environment to: 1. ‌provide clear and easy-to-understand information when the ministry conducts an evaluation on environmental impact; and 2. ‌come up with effective measures to collect the opinions of citizens, including promotional campaigns through diverse media and channels, to encourage people to engage in more active participation. L. ‌On-site Investigation of the Gongju Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and recommendation to improve human rights situation The Commission launched an on-site investigation team with outside experts to conduct an in-depth interview with inmates, correctional officers, and the warden of the Gongju Institute of Forensic Psychiatry, as well as an environmental investigation on reception and living rooms, medical facilities, kitchen, and sports facilities within the institute on August 27th and 28th. The investigation found out that the institute had several serious problems including: lack of medical staff, overcrowding, restricting freedom of inmates for non-medical purposes, and pro forma operation of the review committee on therapeutic custody that is in charge of the decisionmaking to release inmates. In particular, there was no legal basis for imposing protective custody on mental examinees having equivalent legal status to that of inmates on trial. Even worse, female mental examinees were being accommodated with those under therapeutic custody, requiring an urgent intervention. Therefore, the Commission issued a recommendation on December 23rd, to the Minister of Justice, to: 1. address overcrowding issues; 2. separate and employ more medical staff and custody personnel; Part II Major Activities of NHRCK | 27 Major Activities of NHRCK of citizens in public projects are major measures to ensure citizens’ right to environment, which