Human Rights Commissioner Responds to 'Breaking the Unanimity Practice' Criticism: "No Legal Issues"

Assemblyman Mok Kyung-jong Raises Issue on Quorum for Voting

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Ahn Chang-ho argued on the 31st that the small committee's practice of 'unanimous agreement' being broken is actually a decision made by majority vote, just like the plenary committee.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Chairman Ahn stated during the morning session of the National Assembly's Steering Committee audit, "Article 13 of the Human Rights Commission Act stipulates that plenary committee meetings are decided by a majority vote of the total members, and small committee meetings require the attendance and approval of at least three members to pass a resolution," adding, "The decisions of the plenary and small committees should be interpreted the same way."

Earlier, the Human Rights Commission changed the small committee, which had been operated with three members, to a four-member system and passed a resolution that if fewer than three members approve, a petition case will be automatically dismissed. For 22 years since its inception, the Commission had operated the small committee by unanimous agreement, but now a petition case can be dismissed even if only one member opposes it.

Democratic Party lawmaker Mo Kyung-jong criticized, "Is it right to abandon the spirit of unanimity and dismiss cases even when the votes are tied?" Chairman Ahn responded, "I do not believe the decision made that day was legally wrong. Legally, a petition can only be accepted if there are three approvals, and dismissal can occur if a majority vote is not reached."