Human Rights Commission's Proposal to 'Guarantee Yoon Seok-yeol's Right to Defense' Sparks Controversy

Includes Withdrawal of Impeachment Motion Against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRCK) has sparked controversy by deciding to submit an agenda item calling for the thorough guarantee of President Yoon Seok-yeol's right to defense in his impeachment trial.

Yonhap News

According to the NHRCK on the 10th, Chairman Ahn Chang-ho submitted the agenda titled "Recommendation on Measures to Overcome the National Crisis Caused by the Declaration of Martial Law" to be resolved at the plenary meeting scheduled for the 13th.

The agenda, proposed by five members including Standing Commissioner Kim Yong-won and non-standing commissioners Han Seok-hoon, Kim Jong-min, Lee Han-byeol, and Kang Jeong-hye, contains recommendations to the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court to thoroughly guarantee President Yoon's right to defense in the impeachment trial. Additionally, it recommends the Chief Judge of the Seoul Central District Court to strictly review arrests and detentions in martial law-related trials and actively grant bail; it also advises the heads of the prosecution, police, and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) to conduct investigations without detention and to refrain from excessive requests for arrest warrants. The agenda also includes a recommendation to the Speaker of the National Assembly to withdraw the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo so that he can perform the duties of Acting President.

The "Joint Action to Rectify the National Human Rights Commission," composed of 36 civic groups including the Public Interest Human Rights Foundation Gonggam, issued an urgent statement opposing the agenda. They stated, "Chairman Ahn Chang-ho, who approved the submission of the agenda condemning the impeachment of Han Duck-soo and the execution of an arrest warrant for Yoon Seok-yeol, is siding with the leader of a rebellion." They demanded that Chairman Ahn and the five proposers withdraw the agenda, apologize, and resign.