North Korean defectors, refugees, and migrant workers, which were selected in connection
with the Commission's mid- to long-term Action Plan on the Promotion of Human Rights
and major strategic projects in 2010. A variety of side events including cultural
performances and free medical examinations were also held in the regions of on-site
counseling visits, boosting participation and providing practical assistance.
The on-site counseling visit to the homeless in February 2010 offered an opportunity to
understand the actual living conditions of the homeless through direct interviews with the
homeless staying in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul and the Seoul Railway Station. In on-site
counseling visits that took place for North Korean defectors on two occasions in March
and November 2010, the Commission held a meeting with those who assist North Korean
defectors in settling down in Korea and received the complaints of those suffering human
rights violations and discriminatory acts during their settling period in South Korea. The
Commission paid on-site counseling visits to refugees and migrant workers in Ansan,
Gimpo and Namyangju of Gyeonggi Province and conducted in-depth interviews with 22
migrant families.
4. Handling of In-person Complaints
The National Human Rights Commission Act guarantees the access of every individual
to the in-person complaint submission. Under Article 31 of the Act, detainees in detention
or protective facilities can meet in person a commissioner or staff and submit written or
oral complaints. As of the end of December 2010, the total number of in-person petition
applications in detention or protective facilities stood at 33,992. Among them, 9,402
(27.8%) were filed as complaint cases; 16,958 (50.1%) had counseling and were resolved;
7,491 cases (22.1%) were withdrawn by the petitioners; and 141 were yet to be processed.
5. Processing Civil Applications and Inquiries
As a national institution dedicated to human rights issues, the Commission receives and
Chapter 2. Human Rights Counseling and Complaint Processing
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