The 3rd Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) in South Korea is set to launch on the 26th of this month, but as of now, the position of chairperson has not been filled. This has sparked concerns regarding potential delays in the overall schedule for investigating historical injustices. As communicated by officials from the Blue House and the TRC, President Lee Jae-myung has not finalized an appointment for the chairperson. Despite efforts to have a chairperson appointed prior to launch, the process appears to be ongoing and the timeline remains uncertain.

Historically, previous chairpersons for earlier committees were appointed well ahead of their respective launches. For instance, former President Roh Moo-hyun appointed the first chairperson a week in advance, while former President Moon Jae-in made his appointment a month prior to the start of the second committee. The delayed appointment for the 3rd TRC coincides with the late passage of amendments to the basic law governing the committee, which was approved only about a month before its scheduled launch, compared to the earlier committees that had longer lead times.

Experts fear that a delayed chairperson appointment could impede essential organizational functions such as staff hiring and the initiation of investigations, which are critical for the committee's purpose of addressing past human rights violations. With the committee's first day set to open its doors for truth-seeking submissions, stakeholders warn that operating without a chairperson could severely limit the committee's ability to perform beyond just accepting new cases. There is an urgent call from insiders for a swift resolution to this leadership vacuum to ensure the committee's objectives can be effectively pursued.