Human Rights Commission, Meeting on Establishment of Byeon Hee-su Foundation for Supporting Transgender Individuals Ends in Disarray

Standing Committee Member Leading "Guaranteeing Yoon's Right to Defense" Walks Out

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) planned to discuss the approval of the establishment of the 'Byeon Hee-soo Foundation,' which supports transgender individuals, on the 6th, but the meeting was disrupted and the agenda was once again canceled.

Yonhap News

On the morning of the same day, the NHRCK held its 6th Standing Committee meeting and attempted to resubmit the 'Resolution on Approval of Non-Profit Corporation Establishment' related to the Byeon Hee-soo Foundation, but the meeting failed due to a lack of quorum.

According to Article 13 of the current National Human Rights Commission Act, a Standing Committee meeting requires the attendance of at least three members. On this day, Chairman Ahn Chang-ho, Standing Committee member Nam Gyu-seon, and Standing Committee member Kim Yong-won attended, but after Kim made a procedural statement, he left the meeting, preventing it from proceeding.

Standing Committee member Nam told reporters, "Member Kim is demanding disciplinary actions against employees who criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol's right to defense," adding, "It seems he is pressuring (by disrupting the Standing Committee meeting) to enforce this, which is very unfair." It was also reported that Member Kim made remarks questioning "why the NHRCK needs to approve the establishment of the Byeon Hee-soo Foundation."

The NHRCK had also placed the foundation's establishment agenda on the Standing Committee meeting on the 20th of last month, but the agenda was postponed after Member Kim requested supplementary materials and submissions.

Earlier, the Military Human Rights Center and the Youth Sexual Minority Support Center Ddingdong launched the Byeon Hee-soo Foundation Preparatory Committee in February last year with the goal of responding to social discrimination against transgender individuals, and submitted the application documents for non-profit corporation establishment in May last year. According to internal regulations, the NHRCK must approve or reject the application within 20 days unless there are special reasons after receiving the application for corporation establishment approval.