Commission's Major Activities
National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2016
On-scene investigation
Subparagraph 1 of Article 24 of the NHRC Act states that “The Commission may, if deemed
necessary, visit detention or protective facilities to conduct an investigation by its resolution.”
In 2016, the Commission carried out a total of eight on-scene investigations—installation
confinement facility, police jail, welfare facility for the homeless, senior care facility,
correctional facility, foreigner shelter, mental health care facility, and children welfare facility. It
made preventative relief efforts to address human rights issues in particularly vulnerable areas
by making recommendations to improve human rights conditions.
Investigator capacity building
To build the capacity of investigators performing on-scene investigations, the Commission
organized an investigator school on two different occasions. Both new and experienced
investigators took part in educational programmes that covered the characteristics of the
Commission’s investigations, the role of investigators, investigation methodology and
techniques by case, and case study of complaints.
Human rights counselling
To increase accessibility to counselling, the Commission offered a variety of counselling
services, including dedicated counselling windows manned by counsellors specialized in human
rights; video teleconference, chatting, and SNS counselling system for person with disabilities
schools and other related organizations; counsellors capable of sign language for the hearing
impaired; counselling reservation and English counselling for foreigners. It also held ten visiting
human rights counselling sessions for the socially vulnerable population groups, including
persons with disabilities, people living with Hansen's Disease, older persons, children, and
migrant workers.
46