National Human Rights Commission of Korea Annual Report 2014 Chairperson's Foreword Since its establishment in 2001, National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has been active in protecting the inviolable and fundamental human rights of every individual, promoting the human rights of the most vulnerable members of society, internalizing human rights in daily life, and broadening the horizons of human rights. The year 2014, particularly, had numerous and diverse human rights concerns in and out of Korea. Domestically, these include the tragic sinking of the Sewol Ferry and the Pangyo Techno Valley collapse incident claiming hundreds of lives and threatening people's right to life. In the military there were fatal beating death and firearm incidents. Internationally, there was the UN's adoption of the Resolution on the Human Rights Situation in the DPRK. Moreover, with society developing and human rights awareness among people increasing, the sphere of human rights has been consistently expanding to include such diverse issues as business and human rights, information rights, human rights of seniors, and migrants’ rights. Accordingly, the expectations for the Commission have been heightened with its investigation areas expanding and increasing needs for further human rights education. However, the lack of manpower and budget support significantly hinders the Commission’s ability to meet its commitments. Despite these difficulties, the Commission has continued to make its best efforts in implementing its human rights protection mandates: improvement of laws and regulations, institutions, policies and practices; investigations of and remedies for human rights violations and discriminatory acts; education and publicity for the promotion of human rights culture; and domestic and international exchange and cooperation. In particular, in 2014 the number of receipts of complaints exceeded 10,000 for the second year in a row. The suo moto investigation into institutional care facilities for persons with disabilities was estimated to become an opportunity for the protection of the most vulnerable groups in society.