National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2019 Introduction Part 1 01 Introduction Chapter 1 About the National Human Rights Commission of Korea 1. Establishment and Key Functions An independent national institution dedicated to human rights issues, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (hereinafter referred to as the Commission) was established on November 25, 2001 in accordance with the National Human Rights Commission of Korea Act (hereinafter referred to as the “NHRCK Act”) to uphold the right to and respect for human dignity, and contribute to reinforcing the foundation of democracy by safeguarding and promoting inherent, inviolable human rights. The Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (the Paris Principles) were laid out at a time when newly democratized nations were beginning to establish national human rights institutions in the late 1980s. The Paris Principles were adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution (1992/54) in 1992 and the United Nations General Assembly in 1993. Discussions to establish a national human rights institution in Korea were first sparked when a joint committee of private entities took part in the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, Austria, in June 1993. With human rights and civil society organizations continuously voicing the need for a national institution dedicated to human rights issues, these private entities called for enabling laws of an independent national human rights institution responsible for research, study, 03