A proposal was made to revert the meeting room at the National Human Rights Commission to its original setup after concerns were raised about segregation between committee members and staff.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea held its fourth regular meeting on December 12, where discussions included financial assessments. Starting the meeting, Commissioner Lee Sook-jin urged for the committee to return to its original meeting room configuration instead of the current arrangement which separates members from staff. She argued that there was no compelling reason for the change from the larger full committee room and emphasized the collaborative spirit intended in the operational manual for the commission meetings.
Former Commissioners Kim Yong-won and Lee Chung-sang have long criticized the seating arrangement that separates commissioners from the Secretary General and Directors, claiming it contradicts the purpose of the Human Rights Commission's laws. Their demands led to a lengthy four-month hiatus of the meetings after their request to shift back to their original arrangement was not readily accepted. After the appointment of the new Chair, Ahn Chang-ho, meetings resumed in a modified setting that has faced backlash for undermining the open discussion principles initially held by the commission.
Ahn Chang-ho responded by acknowledging Lee's comments on the seating arrangement. He stated that while a consideration of pros and cons is necessary, it is important to maintain the meeting's normalcy. He noted that the previous changes led to significant disruptions and delays in meeting schedules. He also recognized the necessity of possibly updating the operational guidelines to better reflect current practices, as members like Kim Hak-ja expressed a preference for larger meeting environments for enhanced discussions.
