New regional offices to conduct face to face interviews
in detention centers and promote cooperation
among human rights organizations
The National Human Rights Commission is to hold opening ceremonies to open and begin operations of its regional offices in Busan and Kwangju on the 10th and 11th of October respectively. Since its establishment 3 years ago, the opening of the regional offices is significant in that NHRC has quickly brought access to human rights issues to the local communities. Busan and Kwangju offices plan (1) to conduct face-to-face interviews and human rights consultations in detention centers, (2) investigate basic field research on urgent cases of human rights violations and discriminatory acts, and (3) to exchange ideas and cooperate with human rights civic groups and relevant organizations to conduct education and public information projects, etc.
The opening of the regional offices is a result of the Ordinance on Re-organization, passed at the Cabinet Council in May. The Busan local office will cover Busan Metropolitan City and Ulsan Metropolitan City and other areas in South Gyeongsang province while the Kwangju local office will cover Kwangju Metropolitan City and other areas in both North and South Cholla provinces. Also, according to the Ordinance, 6 employees including the local director will work in each office.
The Busan office will hold the opening ceremony at 3 pm on the 11th of October on the 7th floor of the National Pension Service located in Yeonsan-dong, Yeonje-gu, Busan Metropolitan City. Meanwhile, the Kwangju office opening ceremony will be held the next day at 2 pm on the 6th floor of the headquarters of Kwangju Bank in Daein-dong, Dong-gu, Kwangju Metropolitan City. The Chairperson, senior commissioners, commissioners and the Director General of NHRC are to attend these ceremonies. Also relevant officials from the local governments and related agencies including the police, the Corrections Bureau of the Ministry of Justice and officials from local human rights civic groups are expected. In Kwangju, Chairperson Young-hwang Cho will hold a meeting and luncheon with youth, persons with disabilities, and migrant workers.
Meanwhile, NHRC appointed Mr. Kwang-young Lee and Jung-gang Lee as local directors for the Busan and Kwangju offices. Kwang-young Lee served as director of Mingahyup Human Rights Group in Busan and as director of the Busan Human Rights Center. Mr. Jung-gang Lee served as director of the National Council of Churches in Kwangju, South Cholla province and as the director of the Kwangju NCC Human Rights Committee. –End-
