An official investigation proposal regarding discrimination allegations against Ahn Chang-ho, the chairman of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRC), was recently dismissed by a subcommittee responsible for reviewing discrimination complaints. This dismissal came during a meeting held on September 16, where two out of four committee members opposed the proposed investigation plan presented by the NHRC’s secretariat. The proposal arose from allegations made against Ahn for making derogatory and discriminatory remarks against women, as well as other inappropriate conduct. It marked the first time NHRC employees have raised such a complaint against the head of the commission since its establishment in 2001.

The allegations against Ahn were put forth by a coalition of 36 human rights organizations and the National Public Servants Union’s NHRC branch, following claims of Ahn's speech and actions that were described as anti-human rights. The complaints included calls for an investigation into various forms of discrimination, including sexist remarks, sexual harassment, homophobic statements, and disrespectful comments about specific religions. Given the significant nature of the allegations, the NHRC’s Secretariat proposed a comprehensive inquiry rather than relying on the standard investigation methods typically used for individual cases.

Despite the serious nature of the allegations, objections from committee members centered on the lack of concrete evidence or identified victims in this instance, which led to the conclusion that the conditions necessary for initiating an official investigation were not met. The rejection raises questions about the internal mechanisms of the NHRC in handling cases of alleged discrimination and misconduct at the highest levels, potentially hindering the organization's credibility in addressing human rights issues within its own framework.