[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The National Human Rights Commission of Korea recently responded to a public petition document sent by the Blue House regarding the investigation of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, stating that it "did not meet the requirements for filing a petition (such as real-name petitions)" and that "if a petition is submitted, it will be processed according to the law."
According to the explanatory materials released by the Human Rights Commission, the Presidential Secretariat sent a document titled "Request for Cooperation Regarding Public Petitions" to the Human Rights Commission on the 7th. This document included a request for cooperation in responding upon meeting the response requirements for public petitions, along with an attached public petition titled "Request for Investigation into Human Rights Violations during the Investigation of Former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk."
After receiving the cooperation letter, the Human Rights Commission replied to the Blue House on the 8th, stating that "only when the petition filing requirements are met and administrative transfer (referral) is made, and the conditions for starting an investigation are fulfilled, can the petition be accepted and investigated." Since the petitioner was anonymous, the basic requirements for filing a petition were not met. According to Article 32, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 6 of the National Human Rights Commission Act, anonymous petitions must be dismissed, and only petitions filed under real names can be investigated.
On the 9th, the Blue House sent another official letter titled "Regarding the Transfer of Public Petitions." However, on the 13th, just four days later, it sent another letter stating, "The official letter dated January 9 was sent in error, so we request its disposal," and the Human Rights Commission returned it on the same day.
This petition concerns allegations of human rights violations during the prosecution's investigation of former Minister Cho Kuk and his family last October. It gathered 226,434 supporters over a month, meeting the official response requirements of the Blue House.
In the explanatory materials released that day, the Human Rights Commission stated, "Since its establishment in 2001, about 700 complaints have been transferred (referred) from the Presidential Secretariat," and "in addition, about 60,000 complaints have been transferred (referred) through the People's Petition System." This was to explain that it is not unusual for the Blue House or other government ministries to send official complaint documents.
The Human Rights Commission emphasized, "According to the National Human Rights Commission Act, the Commission operates independently," and "if a petition related to a public petition request is submitted, it will be processed according to the law."
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